First Slice

Our friend, Ryan, told us about First Slice and so we checked it out a few weekends ago. More than just a great little cafe with a wide variety of delicious foods, First Slice is a self-funding "community supported kitchen" that uses its proceeds to provide restaurant quality meals to those in need.

First Slice was founded by chef Mary Ellen Diaz, who, after working several years in the high-powered restaurant industry, decided to reassess her goals and as a result, created an innovative way to combine her knowlegde of food with her desire to bring dignity to the disenfranchised. She values pure, wholesome, comforting foods, using local organic ingredients. First Slice is funded by community subscribers who receive three prepared, gourmet meals a week. For every one subscription, First Slice is able to provide meals for 20 homeless persons in Chicago every month. And the coolest part? The homeless receive the exact same high-quality, nourishing meals that the subscribers do.

So, for those of you in Chicago, I recommend you check it out. It's on Ravenswood at Montrose, in the Lillstreet Art Center. Other ways to get involved:

Subscribe to the shareholder program.
Volunteer in the kitchen to serve meals to men, women and children.
Donate to support First Slice.