Blessed By Barker's
Helping Feed
Our Neighbors,
One Box
At A Time.
About Us
Here at Blessed by Barker's, we are driven to do our part in changing the world by helping feed the hungry. Since 2018, we have joined in on various activities and community events to help uplift and encourage our neighbors who are in need.
Our Mission:
Help Feed Our Neighbors, One Box At A Time.
We spread love to our unhoused and food-insecure neighbors
by providing access to our food pantry boxes.
(Blessing Boxes)
Our Love Story:
Our Story starts from love.
Because the God we serve is love, we at Blessed by Barker's
want to mimic his love by spreading it around.
Loving Thy Neighbor As Thyself is what we live by.
How it Began:
After moving to Chicago in 2015, Blessed By Barker's began noticing several issues in the City of Chicago.
The increased rate of homelessness in and around the city and the issues with Food-Insecurities and The Social Determinants of Health.
While working in the inner-city hospitals as a Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Care and Educational Special, Tamara, the Founder of Blessed By Barker's, began noticing gaps in the healthcare system while educating patients. There were concerns of health disparities and health inequities within her patient population.
Tamara thought it was unfair for her patient's to choose between two life necessities, buying food or medications. Finding a solution for her patients and the population surrounding the hospital was her main objective.
She began working with Board Leaders, Directors in the hospital, and the Greater Chicago Food Depository to help institute a Food Pantry. Her goal with the hospital's was to provide relief to food-insecure patients and neighbors (food pantry) by helping (afford food and medication; economic stability) while still having access to quality healthcare.
In 2019, the hospital's food pantry was instituted and Tamara's love for philanthropy began.
In 2021, Tamara placed her first Food Pantry Box (Blessing Box) in The City of Chicago. Currently, Blessed By Barker's has three boxes in the city, with more to come.
"Acknowledging a need of someone other than myself and then meeting that need, stirred-up my spirit to do more."
- Tamara Barker
Our Goal:
To help address, acknowledge, and meet the needs of our hungry neighbors, by placing an abundant amount of Food Pantry (Blessing Boxes) around the City of Chicago. Blessed By Barker's helps provide free food but also other essential items to our neighbors in need, 24/7 365.
Ways We Help
Blessing Boxes
Helping Those Who Need Us Most
Sharing Libraries
The Future Looks Bright
Blessing Bags
Neighbors helping neighbors.
Partnerships
Making Change Possible
Barker's Blessing Box
This unique Two-Story Newspaper Stand was converted into a spacious blessing box! Filled with food, essential clothing attire, and books, this show stopping blessing box touches the hearts of our neighbors. This box was placed intentionally near the busy corner of Damen and Fullerton in Chicago, IL.
Barker's Blessing Box and Sharing Library
This Three-Tier House has dual purposes. Nourishing bellies along with increasing literacy in children by the way of reading. The top house, along with the left shed is designated for young readers. The primary focus on the bottom right shed is providing essential food items and seasonal attire. This perfect trio is tucked in a beautiful garden on the corner of Altgeld and Maplewood. The Blessing Box and Library was donated to St. John Berchmans School in Chicago, IL. Funding for the project was made possible by Blessed by Barker's and Carmelita Tiu. Special Thanks to Nancy at Neighbor to Neighbor Literacy for helping us with installation!
Blessed By Barkers:
Working within the Community
The Blessed by Barker's team loves being involved with community and their partners. Serving the people of the city is the heart and core of our mission. Blessed By Barker's has been helping and partnering with other companies and organizations, like hospitals, shelters, churches, and food pantries for several years. We take pride in serving our community. Blessed By Barker's will continue to build relationships with our community organizers to help serve our neighbors in need. If you're interested in partnering or have inquiries on volunteer opportunities please email us: barkersblessingbox@gmail.com
Barker's Blessing Backpacks
Blessed By Barker's loves helping our neighbors and beyond. When the call for help came to provide needs for our Afghan refugee friends, Blessed By Barker's was there. Backpacks were filled with toys, books, crafts, cards, snacks, and more to provide relief and a little normalcy to the young children. Special thanks to St. John Berchmans school for providing us with this opportunity to help.
Barker's Blessing Bags (Easter)
Blessed By Barker's mission is to spread God's love by loving on our neighbors in various ways. Easter time reflects Christ love for all, so we decided to get to work by showing our neighbors, just how much Christ loves them! Blessed by Barker's put together uniquely hand crafted Easter bags in remembrance of the Resurrection. They were filled with bibles, chocolates, scripture encouragement cards, candy filled Easter eggs and more. Several children gathered to help create these loved-filled blessing bags.
