The key to Nurture’s success is collaboration. Nurture is managed entirely by volunteer resources and has no fixed infrastructure costs. In order to provide our services, free of charge, we rely on partnerships with the following types of organizations:
Food pantries (please see agencies for a list of current collaborative partners)- Social service agencies (please see agencies for a list of current collaborative partners)
- Schools (please see schools for a list of current collaborative partners)
- Kitchen/class sites
- Other organizations which share our vision and mission
Kitchen/class Sites
St. Philip Lutheran Church
1609 Pfingsten Road, Glenview IL
www.stphilip.info/home.html
Our partnership with Rev. Eric Dawson and St. Philip Church has been a blessing indeed. We started holding Nurture adult and children’s classes at their site in early 2009. In 2010, we expanded our partnership to include participation in St. Philip’s Giving Garden, which offers 12 x 12 community garden plots for a minimal fee (free to Nurture alumni families) and provides fresh produce to the Northfield Township Food Pantry. St. Philip has been a pillar in the Glenview community with outreach programs including their Pet Food Pantry, community Meal Kitchen (2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM) and their Clothes Closet (a place where those in need from the community may obtain seasonal appropriate clothing). Their collaborative partnership with Nurture allows for further outreach through nutrition education, cooking classes and philanthropy (cooking equipment and food staples).
Winnetka Presbyterian Church
1255 Willow Road, Winnetka IL
www.winnpres.org
Our partnership with Winnetka Presbyterian Church got off to a strong start in 2010 when the Rev. David Lower and the Session offered Nurture the use of their industrial-size kitchen and Christian Learning Center to hold larger-scale classes for the community members affiliated with social services agencies from Evanston to Highwood. Nurture also became a partner in Winnetka Presbyterian Church’s mission committee in 2009, which provides financial support to local, domestic and international organizations that serve communities in need and provide a opportunity for intergenerational hands-on service from the congregation’s members. Nurture has been thrilled to use this facility to bring its program to families affiliated with Family Network, the Fleetwood Jourdain Center, the Northfield Township Food Pantry, and the New Trier Township Food Pantry.
Other organizations which share our vision and mission
- Campus Kitchens of Northwestern University
The Campus Kitchen at Northwestern University (CKNU) is one of many Campus Kitchens across the nation that utilizes existing resources on college campuses – un-served food in the dining halls and brilliant students. We put this together to help nourish those in need in the community. CKNU distributes tens of thousands of meals annually –no small feat for a mostly student run organization! In addition to meals, we also partner with local organizations to provide nutrition education. Nurture and CKNU launched its collaboration inFebruary 2010 with the “Slow Cooker Initiative”—a series of classes to help local families make healthier meals on a budget through time and money saving tips.
- Junior League of Evanston-North Shore
Nurture and the Junior League of Evanston-North Shore have been partners since 2009, when the Junior League of Evanston-North Shore awarded Nurture a grant in its first year of operation to continue and expand its work. Many of Nurture’s volunteers are also Junior League of Evanston-North Shore members, so it’s a great match between the organizations.  The first event the two organizations partnered on was during TV Tune Out week last spring. Nurture and the Junior League of Evanston-North Shore hosted a “Young Chefs” cooking class for children. During this hands on cooking class, led by instructors of Nurture with the help of Junior League of Evanston-North Shore volunteers, 40 children prepared easy, healthy and tasty meals for their families and for families in need. The Junior League of Evanston-North Shore has a long history of working with other area non-profits. Both organizations are happy now to build on that relationship through the contribution of their volunteers’ time and energy. The Junior League of Evanston-North Shore was founded in 1924 and is comprised of more than 300 active and sustaining members from over 30 communities in the Chicago metropolitan area. Junior League of Evanston-North Shore members commit thousands of volunteer hours each year to improve our communities. Since the Junior League of Evanston-North Shore’s inception, it has contributed over $1.5 million to our communities through projects, scholarships, grants and programs. Learn more at www.jle-ns.org.
- The Organic Gardener
The Organic Gardener, Ltd. (TOG), based in Glencoe, helps families grow organic vegetable gardens.  We offer a full line of services, including design, installation, maintenance, teaching and harvesting. Our specialty is working alongside parents and kids. We work with gardeners (and would-be gardeners) of all experience levels, and in a wide range of situations. Though most of the gardens we install are in North Shore backyards, we also work with city families to help them grow food on rooftops, decks and patios. Other clients include urban and suburban schools, churches, restaurants and organizations.  Jeanne Pinsof Nolan, the founder of TOG, has collaborated closely with Nurture, as TOG’s mission coordinates well with Nuture’s educational programming and goals.
