Welcome to Pilot Light’s Feeding Minds blog! Here, we get to tell the story of Food Education through in-depth stories from our classrooms, partnership spotlights, new program announcements, and opinion pieces from guest authors and the Pilot Light team. Join us in exploring the power of food to connect, excite, and empower us to build a better future together.
June 17, 2019
By PilotLight
A Pretty Cool Ice Cream Experience
Last month Pilot Light teamed up with to bring a one-of-a-kind experience to the students at Disney II Magnet School. Students worked together to brainstorm unique pop flavors and ingredients. The students voted on their favorites, and the top two winners were created and sold in Pretty Cool’s Logan Square shop this May. Sprinkles of
Read More >>By PilotLight
Pilot Light’s Memo to the Mayor
Last month, Pilot Light hosted our On the Table community dinner, as part of The Chicago Community Trust’s On The Table initiative. This year’s goal was to create a Memo to the Mayor – a real and tangible way to share our ideas about important issues with Chicago’s new mayor Lori Lightfoot and her administration.
Read More >>May 10, 2019
By PilotLight
Extending the Love: Student-led Love Lunches and More Advocacy Project at Claremont Academy Returns
In January 2019 Pilot Light was a recipient of the Chicago Housing Consulting Services grant and over the past two weeks the grant was put into action as Pilot Light and Claremont Academy extended its Love Lunches and More Advocacy Project. The $5000 grant extended the student-envisioned Love Lunches Advocacy Project to support homeless families
Read More >>By PilotLight
Pilot Light and the Chan Zuckerburg Initiative – Building a Future for Everyone
We are excited to announce that, with the support of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), Pilot Light is conducting meetings and site visits with FoodCorps to explore the intersection of our work and how we can partner to strengthen the nationwide food education movement. We are also collaborating with researchers to explore positive relationships between
Read More >>April 12, 2019
By PilotLight
Envisioning a Food Educated Chicago
Last month, Pilot Light welcomed representatives from partner organizations to The Future of Food Education, a breakfast designed to foster conversations and visioning around a food educated Chicago. Hosted at the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center and in partnership with its Community Programs Accelerator, guests from more than 20 organizations participated, including Growing Home, Common
Read More >>March 10, 2019
By PilotLight
Growing our Partnership with the University of Chicago
Pilot Light’s partnership with the University of Chicago continues to grow! With thanks to Advisory Board members Dr. Deb Burnet and Dr. Mike Quinn, we are the proud recipients of a grant from the Institution for Translational Medicine at the University of Chicago. Through the $60,000 grant ($18,250 of which will directly support Pilot
Read More >>January 24, 2019
By PilotLight
Pilot Light Awarded the Chicago Housing Consulting Services Grant
Yesterday, Pilot Light was among fellow Chicago non-profits attending the Embracing Youth Opportunities Award ceremony. Pilot Light is excited to be the recipient of the Chicago Housing Consulting Services grant, providing $5000 to help extend food education programs. With the support from the Chicago Housing Consulting Services grant, Pilot Light will extend its “Love
Read More >>January 16, 2019
By PilotLight
goop Features Pilot Light
Pilot Light is featured in the goop Guide to Volunteering.
Read More >>August 23, 2018
By PilotLight
Chicago Chefs Paul Kahan, Matthias Merges and Jason Hammel cook-off for the Feed Your Mind Gala Auction Winner
On July 28 Pilot Light co-founders Paul Kahan, Matthias Merges and Jason Hammel spent the evening delighting guests as they cooked a private meal for the Feed Your Mind Gala previous year’s auction winner. The chefs rolled-up their sleeves to create a BBQ feast for the winner and guests. Chef Paul Kahan (One Off Hospitality
Read More >>August 1, 2018
By PilotLight
Growing Together: Bass Elementary commits to growing it’s community garden with support from the Englewood Quality of Life Fund
Pilot Light is pleased to be the recipient of the Englewood Quality of Life Fund, which is providing $1800 to help support developing the community garden at Bass Elementary School in the 2018-2019 school year. The community garden project was brought to life at the On the Table event the past May. Pilot Light chefs
Read More >>