In every community, families are facing financial challenges, particularly when it comes to providing their children with the essential school supplies they need. As the school year approaches, an annual back-to-school drive in the Chicago area helps bridge this gap. This year's event was extended to the Western Springs and La Grange communities with a heartwarming collaboration between Inner City Impact (ICI), Greet La Grange, and the iconic Lucca's Pizzeria and Ristorante in La Grange, which played a pivotal role in collecting and distributing supplies.

Charles Heimke, the Marketing Manager at Lucca’s, emphasized the event's significance: "I think the event was important because it brought people together and allowed us to give back to the community. Seeing the buckets fill up was cool, realizing how many kids were going to get supplies. It was so nice to see members of the community come out with their families and kids ready to help."

Lucca's commitment to the cause extended beyond serving as a donation drop-off point. They generously offered their event space and provided food and refreshments for the community.  Attendees savored delicious pizzas, chicken tenders, toasted ravioli, house-made guacamole and more, making the event not just an act of charity but a delightful community gathering.

The outpouring of support was astounding, resulting in 37 full boxes of supplies and $540 in donations.  These supplies provided immediate relief to the wait list of families from ICI’s largest outreach event held that very same day, the Back to School Bash.  The event, scheduled from 1-4 p.m., drew families as early as 11 a.m. for school supplies.  The line to access the event stretched an entire city block, according to ICI CEO BJ Bechtel. 

Within just an hour and a half, 540 Cicero students received supplies, with over 25 families still waiting when supplies ran out. Fortunately, the timing worked out wonderfully and the funds and supplies gathered ensured that these families also received the assistance they needed.

"This event this year was especially important to help meet a need that families have that was magnified because of the flooding that was experienced in July in Cicero, with many getting water in their basements/apartments and causing them to have to throw out lots of their furniture and clothing," Bechtel explained. "Being able to help in this way takes a burden off of families and enables the students to be prepared for school starting next week."

This event has made a significant impact on local families and will continue to support the community in the future. Since its inception shortly after the COVID-19 Pandemic, it has consistently grown each year. To get involved and learn more about ICI and its efforts to improve Chicago, visit ICIChicago.org.

A heartfelt thank you goes to Lucca's for hosting the donation drop-off and their generous support. Lucca's event space can accommodate up to 40 guests, making it ideal for holidays and parties. They also offer catering services for such events. For more information, visit luccaspizzeria.com.