Though Oak Forest Hospital has been closed for more than a decade, a recent discovery within the facility that once served impoverished people with health issues is slated to help a new group of people: migrants new to arrive in Chicago.
Amid preparations for a partial demolition of the hospital campus later this year, the Cook County Department of Facilities Management discovered a trove of 866 new pairs of shoes and 81 pairs of pants that were likely purchased or donated for patients before the long-term care facility closed its doors. The items were salvaged and donated earlier this month to New Life Centers for new arrivals to Chicago migrant shelters, according to the county.
“It’s just great to be able to continue in the efforts that Oak Forest was doing before it even closed,” said Evadne Garth, business manager and head of the Cook County Salvage Program that collected and donated the clothing. “They reached out to impoverished community, providing their needs: health care, clothes and food. So it’s just great to continue in those efforts to give back to the community and provide this type of assistance.”
The county has worked with nonprofit organizations on their emergency response to the influx of migrants to Chicago earlier this year, which is how they found New Life Centers’ New Vecinos program, which also accepts individual donations to help new arrivals get settled in the city.
While the organization typically does not accept shoes due to logistics concerns with determining people’s sizes, grateful for the donation, they made an exception, according to New Life Centers warehouse director Connie Marquez.
“A lot of our new arrivals do come sometimes in flip flops or used shoes,” Marquez said. “So this will help them drastically.”
Marquez said about 60 pairs of shoes have already been transported to SGA Youth and Family Services and whichever pairs do not end up being used will be donated to another organization.
Cook County officials said they also are proud that the nearly 1,000 items were able to be reused instead of being lost to time.
“Very much in line with our vision in terms of not just sustainability, but a sense of social responsibility when we can,” said Audrey Jonas, deputy director of communications within the county’s Bureau of Asset Management.
ostevens@chicagotribune.com
