Northbrook news, briefly
Meals with a purpose
Chef Sarah Stegner and Prairie Grass Cafe, 601 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook, continues this month with the nationwide Restaurant Relief program.
The program offers free meals to restaurant workers who have been furloughed or laid off.
Meals are available for pickup from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 12, 19 and 26, at Prairie Grass. The meals come fully cooked but cold, with reheating instructions.
Preordering is required by 10 a.m. Monday by calling (847) 205-4433.
The Restaurant Workers Relief Program was spawned last spring by The LEE Initiative, in conjunction with Maker's Mark. The LEE Initiative is the brainchild of Louisville, Kentucky, chef Edward Lee and the former manager of his 610 Magnolia restaurant, Lindsey Ofcacek. The LEE Initiative has distributed more than 1 million meals nationwide, through partnering restaurants, throughout the pandemic.
Go Green Northbrook
The nonprofit environmental group Go Green Northbrook has several upcoming meetings and activities.
• A Village of Northbrook Climate Action Plan workshop will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 11, over Zoom. Public comments are accepted before the start of the meeting. To hear the discussion or watch the meeting remotely, contact Michaela Kohlstedt via email at michaela.kohlstedt@northbrook.il.us.
The Climate Action Plan is working in response to a September report issued by Northbrook environmental consultant paleBLUEdot, which noted that in 2018 the average Northbrook household consumed 146% of the state's average electrical consumption and 170% of the state's average natural gas consumption. Northbrook's commercial and industrial sectors used 220% of the state's average electrical consumption.
• At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13, Go Green Northbrook will hold a general meeting where people can learn about the group and the group can learn about individuals' interests in building a sustainable future. For the link to join the meeting, reach Go Green Northbrook's Sarah Sanford via email at sarah@gogreennorthbrook.org.
Library to the rescue
The Northbrook Public Library, 1201 Cedar Lane, is providing Finals Care packages for high school students as they stay home and safe during finals week this month. The care packages with fun treats and goodies will be available for pickup outside the library main entrance on the east side of the building from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Jan. 9-10; and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 11-12. Students should wear masks and practice social distancing. Call (847) 272-4300.
Police report of the week
A complainant at the Lord & Taylor store, 1455 Lake-Cook Road, reported a theft to Northbrook Police on Dec. 30. The complainant stated someone removed four chairs and two shoe racks from the store without permission.
Ask the expert
The Northbrook Chamber of Commerce & Industry will welcome Robyn Kole, a partner with the public accounting firm Karlin Kerschner Sharpe & Co. for an overview of the pandemic stimulus package, with special emphasis on provisions to help businesses. Kole will detail the opportunity, though the payroll protection program (PPP), for a second loan for businesses particularly hurt by the pandemic, and other aspects of the program, including rules regarding employee retention tax credit.
Held over Zoom, the address will be held from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 13. To register for the event, visit northbrookchamber.org, and select the "Ask the Expert" entry under Virtual Events.
Instrument donation
The Northbrook Symphony is collecting used band or orchestra instruments for donation to underserved music students in Waukegan public schools.
Since the symphony started this drive two years ago, more than 125 instruments have been collected and distributed to music students.
Drop-off points include School of Rock, 3139 Dundee Road, Northbrook; and the Northbrook Symphony itself, 899 Skokie Blvd., LL12, Northbrook. For drop-off at the Symphony, call first at (847) 272-0755.
Worthy cause
The Debra Gelfand Children's Foundation, a nonprofit fundraising organization of parents from Glenview School District 34, has been working to support district families who've been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Its current emphasis is in rental assistance. Through Jan. 15 donations made to the foundation will aid this cause. The foundation can also use volunteers.
Send donations to the Debra Gelfand Children's Foundation, P.O. Box 368, Glenview, IL 60025.