Week #11- Tracy and Shawn (and the chocolate cookies)

Everyone seems to come out of the woodwork during the summertime, and the city is bustling with all kinds of different people.  This includes the homeless as well; this time of year there seems to be not only more homeless people out on the sidewalks in general, but a more diverse group of people.  I think this summer could lead to some interesting Give and Bake stories, and I wanted to kick that off today by finding someone who really looked like they had a story to tell. I was pretty tempted to stop when I saw a man holding a cardboard sign reading “My girlfriend was kidnapped by ninjas- I need money for ransom.”  I’m sure this guy would have had plenty of stories to tell, but the problem is that I happen to be a fan of ninjas, so I can’t say I’d be on his side.  

I continued on my way, and came across two people who looked to be in their late 20’s asleep underneath the El on Lake Street.  They held a sign with the words “Homeless and Hungry” and had a picture of a small boy labeled as their son, Ryan.  I didn’t want to wake them, but figured they would probably be in need of some cookies, so I approached quietly.  They both quickly snapped out of their slumber and peered up with hopeful eyes.  I learned that their names were Tracy and Shawn.  They are married and came to Chicago recently from Florida.  They had a house and were paying a mortgage, but eventually realized the house was under someone else’s name and had to move out on the streets.  

Shawn suffers from bipolar disease. His doctor suggested that there may be more jobs in the Midwest, and bought the family bus tickets to Chicago.  Upon arrival, they unfortunately realized the job market didn’t seem very different.  Without insurance, Shawn’s medications cost nearly $700 each month, which he cannot afford.  And without medications to help control his disorder, he is unable to find a job.  Although she didn’t mention it specifically, from speaking with her, it seemed Tracy also faces similar challenges.  

At night, Tracy and Shawn ride the bus.  They said the trains are unsafe with a lot of drug and gang activity, and they prefer not to ride at night like other homeless people I have encountered choose to do.  I mentioned the free shelter a previous Give and Bake friend had told me about, but they said they try to stay away from the south side as they feel it is also unsafe.  They’ve been trying to get into the shelters on the North Side, but they are hard to get into.  

Tracy and Shawn have a two year old son named Ryan.  He was recently taken away from them by the Illinois Department of Health and Family Services, and they won’t be able to get him back until they can afford housing, which they won’t be able to do until they find jobs.  In the meantime, they are able to visit Ryan twice a week while he stays with a foster family.  They said the foster family seems to be a good family with a son Ryan’s age, so they are grateful for that.  

Shawn said he is willing to take any job he can find, but so far that hasn’t really been anything.  Hopefully something pulls through for him or Tracy soon so that this family can be reunited.  In the meantime, it’s so nice that there are people out there like Ryan’s foster family who step up to take good care of him until his mom and dad can get back on their feet.




Chocolate Cookies
-1 c butter (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 c sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 c flour
- 2/3 c baking cocoa
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- powdered sugar

Cream together the butter and sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.  Beat in vanilla.  In a separate bowl, blend together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.  Gradually beat into the creamed mixture.  Refrigerate for an hour or until the dough is easy to handle.  Roll into one-inch balls, and place two inches apart on a baking sheet.  Flatten a bit with the palm of your hand.  Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 7 minutes.  Be sure not to overbake- it's better for this particular cookie to be on the soft/gooey side.  Sprinkle powdered sugar over the cookies immediately.  Let cool for a minute or two and transfer to cooling racks. 

This recipe yields approximately three dozen cookies.  I didn't love them at first, but I brought some to my softball team and they were even better received than the peanut butter cup treats, so I guess that means they must be pretty tasty!