title
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING DION'S CHICAGO DREAM FOR OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP IN HEALTH EQUITY, LOGISTICS-DRIVEN FOOD ACCESS, AND JOB CREATION IN COOK COUNTY
WHEREAS, September is recognized as Social Food Justice Month, a time to elevate and honor the work of organizations and leaders advancing equitable access to nutritious food, dismantling systemic barriers, and affirming dignity in food systems; and
WHEREAS, WHEREAS, Dion's Chicago Dream ("DCD"), founded by Englewood native and U.S. Navy veteran Dion Dawson in 2020, is a nonprofit social enterprise that combats food insecurity through a logistics-first model delivering fresh produce directly to households across Chicagoland, centering quality, dignity, and consistency in service; and DCD's flagship Dream Deliveries program provides five days' worth of fresh fruits and vegetables straight to residents' doorsteps, immediately improving household food security; and
WHEREAS, DCD's innovative "last-mile" approach has been profiled and recognized regionally and nationally for reimagining the traditional, queue-based food distribution model, replacing lines and limited hours with direct-to-door delivery and dignified access, and integrating with health and Food-Is-Medicine partners to support prevention and better outcomes; and
WHEREAS, DCD has scaled from an early community fridge to a county-wide engine for health equity, with program components including Dream Deliveries (direct home delivery) and the Dream Vault-an Amazon-style locker that allows recipients to retrieve a full produce box using a unique code, extending access and reach of last-mile logistics; and
WHEREAS, The Dream Vault earned one of the region's highest honors for innovation-the 2023 Chicago Innovation Award-and has been highlighted by civic and community institutions for modernizing food access infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, The organization's measurable impact includes millions of pounds of fresh produce delivered across the Chicago...
Click here for full text