FOOD FOR THE SOUL

Heidi Clifton remembers when Meals on Wheels provided food for her grandfather.

“None of my family lived close enough to him where we could make sure he was getting the food he needed,” says Clifton, a Lake Forest married mother of two and owner of Cecily George Photography. “When my mom made the connection for my grandpa, we all had so much peace knowing that he was being taken care of. I don’t know what my grandfather would have done without them.”

This gratitude for Meals on Wheels never left Clifton, so when she moved to Lake Forest and was looking for a place to donate her time, she sought out Meals on Wheels Chicago.

The Meals on Wheels Home Meal Delivery Program began in Chicago in 1987, delivering to 1,218 homebound seniors. Today, this program serves more than 4.7 million meals to over 13,000 seniors and individuals with disabilities living in every neighborhood of the city.

“I always think that someday I might need a service like Meals on Wheels and I would love for it to still be around,” she says. “So, if I can help make that happen, that’s what I’m going to do.”

Meals on Wheels Chicago put Clifton to work, both in their outreach and in their fundraising efforts. For the second year in a row, Clifton—along with her cochair Shannon Murphy and Chef Lead Corry Morris—is spearheading their signature fundraiser, Celebrity Chef Ball on Friday, October 20, at The Geraghty in Chicago.

For the Celebrity Chef Ball, dozens of top chefs and mixologists come together to create a special evening of fine dining. The main event of the night is a unique and extravagant dining experience where every table is a chef ’s table. A team of chefs prepare a six-course meal right at the table, personally presenting their creations. And the decadence doesn’t stop there: after the sit-down tasting menu, guests will be invited to indulge in desserts from Chicago’s top pastry chefs. The evening also includes a live auction and paddle raise. In the 36 years that this event has been held, more than $5 million has been raised.

For Clifton’s part, she has been charged with recruiting chefs for the event—a task that takes nearly a year to pull off.

“I wouldn’t call myself a foodie, but I do love finding new restaurants and talking with chefs about their craft and what they love to create,” says Clifton, who has invited several Michelin star-rated chefs to participate. “Our chefs donate the food and their time. To show our appreciation, we try to make the night as special for them as we do our guests.”

This year, attendees can expect to be wowed by the following chefs and restaurants: Soo Ahn from Adalina, Cesar Murillo from North Pond, Brian Jupiter from Frontier/Ina Mae Tavern, Andrew Zimmerman from Sepia/Proxi, Paul Virant from Vie, to name a few. Lake Forest will also be well represented with Sophia Steak adding to the culinary color of the evening.

“In the early years of this event, it was less formal,” Clifton says. “But more recently, we’ve made it black-tie optional. This has really elevated the evening and it’s so much fun to see everyone so dressed up.”

Not only does Clifton volunteer her time at Meals on Wheels, but she also donates a percentage of every photo shoot she does to this cause.

“I’m lucky enough to be able to donate 25 percent of each Cecily George session I do to Meals on Wheels,” she explains. “And for some of my clients, I just ask that instead of paying me—they make a donation to this organization. I started doing this in 2017 with the goal of giving $10,000 over five years. As of today, with the help of my incredible husband, I’ve been able to contribute over $35,000. Every little bit helps. It really does. This money goes right to work helping those who need it most.”

While Clifton’s grandparents are no longer, she is often on the lookout for other grandparents she might be able to help. You may spot her loading groceries into a trunk in the Jewel parking lot or offering a ride to another with their arms full walking down Western Avenue.

“I honestly never expected that I’d one day be living in this amazing community,” she says. “The money raised has exceeded my expectations and chairing this event is truly an honor. It has all come together in the most wonderful way.”

To purchase tickets to the Celebrity Chef Ball on October 20 benefiting Meals on Wheels Chicago, visit mealsonwheelschicago.org/ccb.