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FREE Vol. 40 No. 27
July 8, 2026 ■ Also serving Garfield Park ■ austinweeklynews.com
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A House in Austin gets $214K in grants, plans for-profit enterprise JACKIE PISANO
Karen McMillin, Oak Park resident and board member of Community of Congregations, speaks at the group’s Community Fridge Pantry location grand opening at New Jehovah MB Baptist Church in Austin on Sunday, June 28.
Feeding neighbors, one fridge at a time By JACKIE PISANO For decades, the Community of Congregations has served as a beacon of unity for locals from all faith backgrounds
throughout the Oak Park and River Forest area. In recent years it has worked hard to build its connections to faith communities in Austin. Now the food pantries, a mission of the organization, opened its sixth pantry
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
which is its second in Austin. On Sunday, June 28 volunteers welcomed guests to New Jehovah MB Baptist Church. The church is located at 1101 S. Austin Boulevard.
Three years ago in July, Chicago’s West Side flooded after a weekend of intense rainstorms. The nonprofit A House in Austin was among the hundreds of organizations and residents that experienced flood damage, including a roof and attic that needed repairs, plus eight inches of rain and sewage in the basement that rendered its laundry facilities, refrigerators and HVAC system useless.
See COMMUNITY FRIDGE on page 9
See HOUSE IN AUSTIN on page 8
Grassroots Community Fridge Project opens second mini food pantry location in Austin Contributing Reporter
The parent-child resource nonprofit recently received 5 grants to fix flood damage, provide support for staff and general operations
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