Johnson Family
Mother-daughter duo, Felicia and Amara Johnson, have been volunteering with Honeycomb since 2021. Involved in the Grow Your Groceries project, this pair has been instrumental in not only leading the project, but also bringing Honeycomb awareness to their local communities.
Growing up, Felicia was no stranger to food insecurity. She says “when Grow Your Groceries was added to Honeycomb’s programs, I knew I wanted to get more involved…everyone needs access to fresh produce.”
More than 20% of Chicagoans lived in poverty last year. Honeycomb’s Grow Your Groceries project invites volunteers to Stein Learning Gardens at St. Sabina in Auburn Gresham neighborhood to assemble fresh fruit and vegetable kits with Chicago Grows Food to help neighbors who lack regular access to nutritious foods.
“Every month, Amara and I recruit friends and families through Chicagoland Mom Squad and head out to help at the event – we are hyped up,” Felicia says. “It’s rewarding to make these produce boxes. At the end of our final count one time, our group made close to 200 boxes!”
Felicia talks about similar Honeycomb services she needed as a youth and shares, “food is expensive—as a nurse in a hospital, I see families forced to choose between paying for medical bills or food. Amara never had these experiences growing up…so teaching her about how to help those in need is important. We want to give back.”
“Amara loves this sense of responsibility and ownership,” Felicia continues, “she is drawn to issues on food insecurity, including the Love Fridge in Hyde Park because anyone who needs food from the community can come.”
Felicia and Amara look forward to December’s Holiday Cheer Challenge. “We’ve participated for a couple years,” mom says, “but this year we want to do more and Amara’s excited to feel the energy around all the families.”
The Johnson Family lives in Woodlawn. Felicia is a pediatric nurse at Comer Children’s Hospital and Amara is an 8th grader at Kenwood Academic Center, an Academic Center on the south side of Chicago. She enjoys crocheting and playing the violin. The family loves to take nature walks, bike rides and shop together.