Did you know that grabbing lunch on Tuesdays in Chicago's Irving Park neighborhood can benefit The Night Ministry?
For the last four years, JT's Genuine Sandwich Shop on North Elston has supported our mission with a generous one-dollar donation from every sale of their delicious Breaded Pork Tenderloin sandwich on Tuesdays.
"I appreciate everything The Night Ministry does for our neighbors," said JT's owner, Chris Cunningham.
Chris fulfilled a lifelong dream in 2019 when he opened JT's, which Chicago Magazine recently named one of the 50 best restaurants in the city.
"When we started to think about organizations that we as a restaurant and business could support, The Night Ministry was one of the first ones that I thought of," said Chris. "And the tenderloin is one of our better sellers."
Chris vividly remembers learning about The Night Ministry's mission to assist our unhoused community members when he provided a hot meal with Bethany United Church of Christ alongside the Health Outreach Bus.
"Serving the meal on the streets, having real conversations and connection with the clients, and seeing the services you were provided made a lasting impact on me," he said.
In addition to supporting The Night Ministry's mission, the JT's Tenderloin Tuesday donation also helps expose the restaurant's customers to the agency's work.
"People who are familiar with The Night Ministry appreciate it, and everyone I talk to about what The Night Ministry does is also impressed."
Chris's culinary skills benefit the community in other ways. Every summer, he and his neighbors raise money for the Irving Park Community Food Pantry by selling homemade BBQ sandwiches at the Independence Farmers Market.
"We get as much of the ingredients as we can donated from our vendors," he said. "Beyond any other costs, 100% of the sales proceeds go to the pantry. If someone happens to leave us a tip, we're also donating that to the pantry."
You can get your pork tenderloin sandwich by visiting JT's at 3970 North Elston Avenue, ordering online at jtsgenuine.com, or calling 773.754.7729.