The Spirit of Generosity at the Taste of Chicago

Last weekend, more than 1.4 million people experienced the Taste of Chicago, the City’s premier outdoor food festival showcasing the diversity of Chicago’s dining community. The event draws attendees from across the Chicagoland region and beyond. In addition to the more than one million people from all walks of life who came to take in the sites, dine on the tasty treats and listen to renowned musical acts like Weezer, Erykah Badu and Spoon, there are also hundreds of residents behind the scenes helping make the Taste a highlight of the summer. We asked Taste visitors and workers alike about philanthropy and what inspires them to give back.

Percy from Rosewood awaited the opening of the Taste outside the food truck for Harold’s Chicken Shack, a Chicago institution. We asked him what inspires him to give back. He smiled big and said when he sees “others doing good, [he wants] to join in.”

Stacking granola bars, one of the more health-conscious options at the Taste, we caught up with Jackie from Elmwood Park. She recognizes the impact that even small acts of kindness can have on a person. She shared, “After helping someone, I love the enjoyment of knowing the person is happy—even for a moment.”

Standing outside the entrance to the Taste, Leianna from Orland Park shared how she is currently training to be an emergency medical technician. She believes that “the value of life is really important. I feel like everyone should live a full life, and I want to help people do that.”

When we asked Southsiders Alexis and Noor, why they give back, Alexis drew on her own experiences as motivation: “I have been in tough situations before, so I want to help people get out of these situations that I was once in.”

Some have not only given, but received acts of kindness as well. Stirring a big pot of gumbo, Miguel from Cicero talked about the circle of giving. When he gave a family member a place to live during an emotional time, he says “the best part was then they returned the favor later that night and made me dinner.”

Surveying a map of all the food options, we asked the Sierra family from Riverside why they give back. Ms. Sierra was quick to respond that “leaving the world a better place for [their] kids inspires them to do good.”

Slinging sausages and famed Polish dogs for Bobak’s, Eric from Midway shared how generosity can inspire others to be more philanthropic. According to him, “giving encourages others to give—it creates a happy community.”

Sampling the best bites from Taste, Greg and Imelda from Aurora give to the causes close to home. When we asked Imelda how she gives back, she replied, “We always donate to community organizations or our church.”

At the SPAM booth, Erica reflected on her own childhood as inspiration for why she gives back. “When I was younger, I didn’t have much. Now that I am fortunate and blessed to have more, I help people who are in similar situations—a lot of people helped us along the way, so I can help them.”

At the famed Lou Malnati’s booth, we caught up with Ariel of Elmwood Park and Essia from the west side of Chicago and asked them who inspires them to do good for others. Essia finds inspiration from her circle of “good natured friends, who motivates [her] to give a little more.” Ariel was moved by the owner Mark Malnati, who “handed out heart shaped pizzas during the winter to homeless people—makes me feel good that I work for someone who actually cares.”

Richard from Lakeview has a simple philosophy—he wants to “leave the world better than I found it, every day.”