On May 15, the Chicago Police Department 15th District’s Office of Community Policing hosted its second monthly community wellness outreach fair, distributing free resources to locals in and around Austin.
The idea for the event came out of the district CAPS office’s subcommittee on domestic violence, which investigates allegations of domestic violence and supports survivors. The event was held at noon at Brian P. Pickett Funeral Home to reach those who have been affected by domestic violence.
“We were thinking of someone who, if they’re dealing with a crisis, this would be a time when the offender will not know that they’re out and about because it’s lunch time,” said Metasha Young, who is the domestic violence liaison officer for the 15th District’s Office of Community Policing. “And if they’re watching their location, they won’t be able to notice because there’s a restaurant right here, right across the street.”
Pickett, of Brian P. Pickett Funeral Home, is also on the 15th District CAPS domestic violence subcommittee.
In the parking lot behind the funeral home, visitors picked up diapers, clothes, hand sanitizer and books, or stopped by for resources to help with domestic violence and visited BUILD’s mental health mobile van.
“If someone came in and they had a crisis, or they walked around and saw things and said, ‘OK, I might be dealing with something,’ they immediately take them in and start talking to them and get them assessed,” Young said of BUILD, a violence prevention and youth development organization.
Other community agencies partnering with the 15th District’s CAPS brought whatever resources they could donate.
Maryville Academy offered temporary childcare services for parents dealing with domestic violence. We Care 2 Agency brought diapers, clothing, blankets and feminine products. There was also a free lunch of sandwiches, chips and juice. Other partners hosting the monthly event included Beard Admin Services, Beautifully Scarred, the PLCCA, Street Priests, Taproots, and Westside Rising.
The first community wellness outreach event in April was a success, Young said. Although no one counted how many people stopped by, organizers said they got positive feedback from the community.
“Most of the people, they’re just saying, ‘thank you. Thank you for being here,’” Young said. “When people come out, you see a lot of smiling faces. That’s the most important thing.” She added, “We gave people something to be happy about, even if it’s for a moment.”
Young said the 15th District’s CAPS office plans to keep its regular location for the wellness outreach event and add pop-up resource events around Austin.
“Eventually, we’ll have a pop-up here and there in different locations, where we hopefully find the need and meet the need,” Young said. “We’ll try to go throughout the community and create the same type of environment, just probably on a smaller scale.”
The next community wellness event will take place June 16 and move down the road to the corner of Lavergne Ave. and Madison St. Young said the spot is more visible and a place where people tend to gather.
“That’ll be like the first time we’ll do a pop-up,” Young said. “We’re just trying to be more present.”