At least seven chefs, a wide range of South Suburban businesses, the band Return2Soul, and singer Keya Trammell are set to star in Heart & Soul at the UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Flossmoor Family Care Center in Flossmoor on Friday, Feb. 28, from 7 to 10 p.m. The event will raise money for the Ingalls Development Foundation, the fundraising branch of UChicago Ingalls Hospital, and its mission of cardiovascular health.
Maureen Mader of Dunning’s Gourmet Market & Deli, who serves as Flossmoor Business Association president and Heart & Soul chairperson, said Ingalls originally approached her about hiring Dunning’s Market to cater the event. Mader happily obliged but said it would be an even better idea to involve a variety of other local chefs and small business owners.
“It’s a fundraiser in the month of February to highlight Heart Health Awareness and shine a light on Ingalls-University of Chicago’s commitment to the Southern Suburbs. Because they’ve been around as a hospital for a hundred years,” Mader said.
“It’s what we’re calling an Ingalls Impact event and it’s a new model for event fundraising,” said Paul Donohue, vice president of philanthropy and community relations at the Ingalls Development Foundation. “We are reaching out to residents, patients and donors living in and around the Homewood-Flossmoor community and inviting them into one of our facilities.
“The dollars that we raise will be restricted to supporting our community outreach and education program around heart health. We do quite a few community education events throughout the year focused on improving cardiovascular care.”
Chefs from Dunning’s Market, Batters and Berries, Bistro on Sterling, Skyline Provisions, D’s Cookie Dough, Edibles by Design, The Embassy Cigar Lounge, Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery and Kimski will serve appetizers, pastries, desserts, craft beer, and cocktails. While several participating businesses are in Flossmoor and Homewood, others will travel to Heart & Soul from Olympia Fields, Harvey, and Chicago.
“I’m really excited for these area chefs to have a chance to get out from their kitchens and out to a public space where they can meet their customers and meet their clients,” Mader said, adding that each chef will “make something that’s really delicious and reflective of what makes drives them in the food industry.”
Return2Soul, who Mader described as her favorite band, is set to take the stage with Tramel. Mader said Tramel sang a song on stage at Flossmoor Fest “a couple of years ago” and she was “amazing.”
Donohue said Heart & Soul will also have “some giveaways.”
Heart & Soul was inspired by the Ingalls Development Foundation’s desire for a fundraising event that focused more on patients and community members than wealthy philanthropists, Donohue said.
“Flossmoor, Homewood, Cal City, Tinley Park – those are all communities where we have care centers,” Donohue said. “We’re well-known for our big benefit show blowouts. And those have become very, very expensive. And we want to try a new model – cultivating those relationships with those that live in and around the Flossmoor area.”
UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Flossmoor Family Care Center is at 19550 Governors Highway. Heart & Soul tickets can be purchased for $85 each at idfheartandsoul.givesmart.com.
