Regarding “A Dumping Ground for the Poor?” published in the October 14 Reader, it seems Ben Joravsky may need to do more research before writing his articles. He especially misses the mark in his fourth paragraph when describing the 7600 block of Paulina: “now occupied by two social service agencies and a weed-filled vacant lot.” Not only is there also a grocery store, a U.S. post office, a coffee shop, and a medical facility (Rogers Park One-Day Surgical Center) on the block, but the lot he speaks of is neither vacant nor weed filled.
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The lot in question is a gravel parking lot belonging to the Good News Community Church and is used by staff, members, and volunteers of the church, the Howard Area Alternative High School, Howard Area Community Center, and the Good News Community Kitchen. Every third Monday of each month the lot also serves as the distribution point for the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s Producemobile, bringing 20-30 pounds of food to each of over 200 families in need. There are three garden boxes in the lot put together by students from the high school and the Chicago Green Corps, a flower bed near the high school entrance, flowers all along the west-end fence, and a tree probably older than any resident of North of Howard. There are some weeds, but as any gardener or anyone with a plot knows, battling weeds is a constant effort.
Reverend Marilyn Pagan
Good News Community Kitchen
