Food Farm Familias connects Chicago farmers, chefs to provide free meals during COVID-19

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago farmers and chefs are providing free meals to communities throughout Chicago during the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of an ongoing effort co-organized by Getting Grown Collective in Englewood and the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization.

"We started at 50 meals, and now we're at 175," said Taryn Randle, founder of Getting Grown Collective. "We are working to generate more funds so we can do it for more families for a longer period of time."

Randle said she has prioritized meals for the elderly, families affected by COVID-19, and people who lost work. The program is called Farm, Food, Familias.

After harvesting the ingredients from local farms, Randle coordinates the delivery to four Chicago-based Black and Latinx chefs to prepare meals. Fresh meals are delivered every Wednesday, and groceries go out to many of the same families on Fridays.

"Food, Farm, Familias reached out to me to give me the opportunity to help me financially to be able to help communities with food. So it was the best of both worlds," said chef Karla Morales.

Morales runs the all-vegan Amor y Sofritos out of her home kitchen, providing many of the weekly meals while all of her other income streams were taken away by the pandemic.

"I'm just so proud to be part of a team that's so giving and loving and so committed to helping Chicago," Morales said.

Getting Grown Collective is always accepting more volunteers to drop off meals and groceries. Visit their website to sign up or donate.