This interview was aired on WGNTV Chicago on April 16, 2020.
By Julie Unruh
CHICAGO – A former principal in Roseland is pivoting her philanthropic venture to bring the basics to Chicago’s most vulnerable neighborhoods.
For the past four years, Liz Dozier has been raising money for the city’s youth through her program Chicago Beyond.
“It’s incredible,” Dozier said. “We are now seeing as a society that we are all connected, inextricably linked.”
Dozier used to be the principal at Fenger High School and received local acclaim for her tough love, which was always delivered with a dose of kindness.
Her energy is now 100% invested in raising money to better places like Roseland after she founded Chicago Beyond.
For families and especially students, homelessness during the pandemic is unthinkable.
“I saw it firsthand at Fenger,” Dozier said. “It’s devastating.”
Since Dozier is a woman of action, Chicago Beyond mobilized. Picking up where food pantries manned by volunteers left off.
“We looked at some of the data and saw hotels in the city just didn’t have the same usage rate in normal times,” Dozier said. “We made hygiene packets for families and kids as well.”
Chicago Beyond bought 20,000 items to help during the crisis. They even partnered with global hospitality supplier, American Hotel, to get basic needs distributed.
They donated the items below.
- Food = 167,000 lbs
- Hand Sanitizer = 275 gallons
- Diapers and wipes = 100,000
- Covid-19 Info cards = 26,000
- Masks for essential workers = 1,000
In just a week, they have donated $250,000 worth of supplies.
