A Joliet social worker sees food insecurity firsthand among cancer patients and people with serious, chronic illnesses.

For four years, Paul Dickerson of Joliet, a licensed clinical social worker with the University of Chicago Medicine Medical Group’s oncology/hematology department, has helped his cancer patients get the nutritious foods they need.

Now, Dickerson wants to help people in Will County, too. So he formed a nonprofit called “Yes, Together We Can” to make it happen.

Dickerson is hosting a “Yes, Together We Can” informational and fundraising event from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Joliet Area Historical Museum, 204 N. Ottawa St. in Joliet.

The event will include a discussion, opportunities for donating, raffle baskets and a nutritionist demonstrating healthy meal preparation using common and affordable nutritious ingredients, Dickerson said.

In addition, representatives from several organizations will be present to share information. This will include Ann W. Jackson, a licensed physical therapist and founder of the Center for Food Equity in Medicine.

The other organizations include the Cancer Support Center (locations in Mokena and Homewood); the Cancer Support Team; and Beauty, Fyne, & Fitness, which makes wigs for patients with medical-related hair loss such as cancer treatments and alopecia.

Dickerson said that in the 10 years he has worked with cancer patients, he has “witnessed firsthand the devastating impact food insecurity has on individuals battling illness.“

“Many of my patients shared that they were unable to provide enough food for themselves and their families. Some even sacrificed their medical needs just to keep food on the table,” Dickerson said. “Seeing these inequities deeply moved me and inspired my commitment to address hunger among cancer patients and their families.”

Connecting patients with healthy food

Dickerson said that it took almost three years of discussions, meetings and planning with senior leadership at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial to bring his vision to life.

But in 2021, Ingalls Memorial Hospital opened the first complimentary nutrition station for cancer infusion patients in need of healthy food in Harvey, according to the UChicago Medicine website.

This food pantry was opened in partnership with the Ingalls Development Foundation, the UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feed1st and Jackson’s Center for Food Equity in Medicine, according to the website.

In 2022, the nutrition stations expanded to Flossmoor and Tinley Park. Dickerson said he – as a social worker – serves patients at all three locations as well as Calumet City.

These stations “have continued to thrive” with uninterrupted service to patients, Dickerson said.

From there, he began volunteering with Jackson’s nonprofit, which periodically held pop-up complimentary nutrition stations for the community.

“Modeled after a farmers market, these events allowed participants to move table to table, selecting fresh, healthy foods – and often leaving with as much as 65 pounds,“ Dickerson said. ”I was inspired to bring this model to Joliet to serve my own community."

Dickerson said he realized the extent of need at these initial, small events. This led him to establish “Yes, We Can” in November 2024.

“There aren’t too many food pantries that specifically serve people with chronic health conditions,” Dickerson said. “People that have chronic health conditions cannot eat the ‘normal’ food that maybe a person without a chronic illness can eat. They have to watch their carb intake, their sugar intake, their salt intake.”

Going forward, Dickerson each year hopes to host:

• two small fresh produce pop-ups.

• two holiday events (Thanksgiving and Christmas) to provide families with healthy holiday meal essentials

• one major summer pop-up to gives families two weeks worth of healthy groceries

Dickerson said it costs about $3,000 to $4,000 to host an event serving about 35 families of three to four people each.

He hopes the community will help with donations and serving as volunteers.

“This issue is deeply personal to me,” Dickerson said, “and my mission is to be a driving force in addressing and ultimately ending this problem.”

For more information, visit yestogetherwecan.org.