Dion S Chicago Dream Inc NFP
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PROVIDE FOOD, INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TO THE WEST ENGLEWOOD COMMUNITY ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO, IL. OUR GOAL IS TO ALSO INCREASE FINANCIAL AND EMOTIONAL STABILITY TO ITS RESIDENTS WHILE COMBATING FOOD INSECURITY, HUNGER AND ADDRESSING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD'S FOOD DESERT STATUS.
- Income
- $6.1 million
- Spending
- $4.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 4.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 61%
- Employees
- 25
- Highest pay
- $115,000, founder & ce
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.7 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 19% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 66% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (5)
- $2.0 million spent. DREAM DELIVERIES DESCRIPTION: OUR DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER FRESH PRODUCE SERVICE PROVIDES FAMILIES WITH FIVE DAYS' WORTH OF HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS FOR WEEKLY CONSUMPTION AT NO COST. OUR RECIPIENTS HELPED US CHOOSE THE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN THE BOXES. WE COMBINE OUR COMMITMENT TO CARE WITH A STATE-OF-THE-ART LOGISTICS OPERATION THAT ALLOWS US TO HIT AS MANY HOUSEHOLDS AS POSSIBLE IN EACH DELIVERY RUN. ALL OF THE PRODUCE IS PURCHASED FRESH BY DION'S CHICAGO DREAM-NO DONATED PRODUCE IS USED. IMPACT: OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, WE HAVE COMPLETED OVER 53,000 HOME DELIVERIES, REPRESENTING MOST OF OUR FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES DISTRIBUTION - WELL OVER HALF A MILLION POUNDS. EVERY WEEK, WE MAKE 1,600 DELIVERIES DIRECTLY TO FOOD-INSECURE HOUSEHOLDS IN COOK COUNTY. OUR DELIVERIES REACH 60 OUT OF 77 CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS AND MORE THAN 30 SUBURBS. DREAM DELIVERIES DESCRIPTION: OUR DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER FRESH PRODUCE SERVICE PROVIDES FAMILIES WITH FIVE DAYS' WORTH OF HEALTHY FOOD OPTIONS FOR WEEKLY CONSUMPTION AT NO COST. OUR RECIPIENTS HELPED US CHOOSE THE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN THE BOXES. WE COMBINE OUR COMMITMENT TO CARE WITH A STATE-OF-THE-ART LOGISTICS OPERATION THAT ALLOWS US TO HIT AS MANY HOUSEHOLDS AS POSSIBLE IN EACH DELIVERY RUN. ALL OF THE PRODUCE IS PURCHASED FRESH BY DION'S CHICAGO DREAM-NO DONATED PRODUCE IS USED. IMPACT: OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, WE HAVE COMPLETED OVER 53,000 HOME DELIVERIES, REPRESENTING MOST OF OUR FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES DISTRIBUTION - WELL OVER HALF A MILLION POUNDS. EVERY WEEK, WE MAKE 1,600 DELIVERIES DIRECTLY TO FOOD-INSECURE HOUSEHOLDS IN COOK COUNTY. OUR DELIVERIES REACH 60 OUT OF 77 CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS AND MORE THAN 30 SUBURBS.
- $989,656 spent. DREAM VAULT RATIONALE: DION'S DREAM VAULT ACCELERATES THE FIGHT FOR FOOD SECURITY, INCREASING DELIVERY SCALE THROUGHOUT THE CHICAGO REGION. THE DREAM VAULT IS A STATE-OF-THE-ART, NETWORK-ENABLED LOCKER PLACED IN A RETAIL STORE (SUCH AS WALGREENS, TARGET, ETC.) OR A SCHOOL OR COMMUNITY CENTER THAT FOOD INSECURE FAMILIES ACCESS WEEKLY WITH A UNIQUE ELECTRONIC CODE TO GET A BOX OF HEALTHY FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. IMPACT: TWO VAULTS OPERATE IN CHICAGO FIVE DAYS PER WEEK. EVERY VAULT MAKES UP TO 175 HOUSEHOLDS FOOD SECURE WITH A WEEKLY DREAM BOX, AND DISTRIBUTES 78,000 POUNDS OF PRODUCE EACH YEAR. JUST THOSE TWO VAULTS CURRENTLY MAKE UP ROUGHLY 15% OF OUR TOTAL DISTRIBUTION. ADDING NEW VAULTS WOULD ALLOW US TO DRAMATICALLY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE SERVE. DREAM VAULT RATIONALE: DION'S DREAM VAULT ACCELERATES THE FIGHT FOR FOOD SECURITY, INCREASING DELIVERY SCALE THROUGHOUT THE CHICAGO REGION. THE DREAM VAULT IS A STATE-OF-THE-ART, NETWORK-ENABLED LOCKER PLACED IN A RETAIL STORE (SUCH AS WALGREENS, TARGET, ETC.) OR A SCHOOL OR COMMUNITY CENTER THAT FOOD INSECURE FAMILIES ACCESS WEEKLY WITH A UNIQUE ELECTRONIC CODE TO GET A BOX OF HEALTHY FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. IMPACT: TWO VAULTS OPERATE IN CHICAGO FIVE DAYS PER WEEK. EVERY VAULT MAKES UP TO 175 HOUSEHOLDS FOOD SECURE WITH A WEEKLY DREAM BOX, AND DISTRIBUTES 78,000 POUNDS OF PRODUCE EACH YEAR. JUST THOSE TWO VAULTS CURRENTLY MAKE UP ROUGHLY 15% OF OUR TOTAL DISTRIBUTION. ADDING NEW VAULTS WOULD ALLOW US TO DRAMATICALLY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE SERVE.
- $593,793 spent. FOOD IS MEDICINE: THE PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM RATIONALE: HEALTH EXPERTS ARE INCREASINGLY REALIZING THAT FOOD CAN BE THE BEST MEDICINE AND THAT THE MEDICAL SYSTEM ITSELF CAN BE USED TO EXPAND FOOD DISTRIBUTION. AS THE MOST ADVANCED FOOD AID LOGISTICS PROVIDER IN THE CHICAGOLAND REGION, DION'S CHICAGO DREAM HAS BECOME THE GO-TO PARTNER FOR PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAMS, ALLOWING THE DISTRIBUTION OF PRODUCE BOXES TO MEDICAID-ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS THROUGHOUT THE REGION. THE PROGRAM CAN SCALE RAPIDLY AND WIDELY BECAUSE MEDICAID FUNDS MOST OF THE COSTS CONNECTED TO FOOD PURCHASE AND DELIVERY. IMPACT: DION'S CHICAGO DREAM'S PRODUCE PRESCRIPTIONS CURRENTLY SERVE MORE THAN 800 PATIENTS THROUGHOUT COOK COUNTY, AND WE ARE EXPECTING TO MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT WITH AN INCREASE TO 2,000 WEEKLY PATIENTS IN THE NEXT 6 MONTHS. WE ALSO BRING OVER 400 BOXES A MONTH TO SIGN-UP EVENTS, WHERE PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM. OUR PARTNER FOODSMART SHOWS EVALUATION STATISTICS FOR ITS VERSION OF THIS PROGRAM: ?33% OF PARTICIPANTS ARE ABLE TO SUSTAIN A 5% WEIGHT LOSS OVER 24 MONTHS ?39% OF PARTICIPANTS ARE ABLE TO REVERSE DIABETES AFTER 24 MONTHS ?36% OF PARTICIPANTS WITH HIGH CHOLESTEROL LOWERED THEIR LIPID VALUES TO NORMAL FOOD IS MEDICINE: THE PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM RATIONALE: HEALTH EXPERTS ARE INCREASINGLY REALIZING THAT FOOD CAN BE THE BEST MEDICINE AND THAT THE MEDICAL SYSTEM ITSELF CAN BE USED TO EXPAND FOOD DISTRIBUTION. AS THE MOST ADVANCED FOOD AID LOGISTICS PROVIDER IN THE CHICAGOLAND REGION, DION'S CHICAGO DREAM HAS BECOME THE GO-TO PARTNER FOR PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAMS, ALLOWING THE DISTRIBUTION OF PRODUCE BOXES TO MEDICAID-ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS THROUGHOUT THE REGION. THE PROGRAM CAN SCALE RAPIDLY AND WIDELY BECAUSE MEDICAID FUNDS MOST OF THE COSTS CONNECTED TO FOOD PURCHASE AND DELIVERY. IMPACT: DION'S CHICAGO DREAM'S PRODUCE PRESCRIPTIONS CURRENTLY SERVE MORE THAN 800 PATIENTS THROUGHOUT COOK COUNTY, AND WE ARE EXPECTING TO MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT WITH AN INCREASE TO 2,000 WEEKLY PATIENTS IN THE NEXT 6 MONTHS. WE ALSO BRING OVER 400 BOXES A MONTH TO SIGN-UP EVENTS, WHERE PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION PROGRAM. OUR PARTNER FOODSMART SHOWS EVALUATION STATISTICS FOR ITS VERSION OF THIS PROGRAM: ?33% OF PARTICIPANTS ARE ABLE TO SUSTAIN A 5% WEIGHT LOSS OVER 24 MONTHS ?39% OF PARTICIPANTS ARE ABLE TO REVERSE DIABETES AFTER 24 MONTHS ?36% OF PARTICIPANTS WITH HIGH CHOLESTEROL LOWERED THEIR LIPID VALUES TO NORMAL
- $395,863 spent. BUILDING THE DREAM TEAM: WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT RATIONALE: PERMANENT ECONOMIC SECURITY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE ENGLEWOOD COMES FROM PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT. THE 5-YEAR UNEMPLOYMENT AVERAGE FOR ENGLEWOOD IS 24.9%, ROUGHLY 3X THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR CHICAGO. PROVIDING GOOD JOBS CAN STABILIZE THE COMMUNITY, AND THIS HAS BEEN A PART OF DION'S CHICAGO DREAM MODEL SINCE DAY ONE. NOT ONE VOLUNTEER HOUR HAS BEEN LOGGED FOR THE ORGANIZATION, ALLOWING DION'S CHICAGO DREAM TO FOCUS ON COMMUNITY HIRING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IMPACT: CURRENTLY, THE ORGANIZATION EMPLOYS 31 COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN LIVING-WAGE JOBS THAT PAY AT LEAST 20 PER HOUR. GIVEN OUR PROJECTED EXPANSION OVER THE NEXT YEAR, WE EXPECT THE ORGANIZATION'S STAFF TO REACH MORE THAN 60. AT THAT POINT, WE WOULD BE THE SECOND-LARGEST PRIVATE EMPLOYER IN ENGLEWOOD, NEXT TO ST. BERNARD HOSPITAL.
- BUILDING THE DREAM TEAM: WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT RATIONALE: PERMANENT ECONOMIC SECURITY IN A NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE ENGLEWOOD COMES FROM PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT. THE 5-YEAR UNEMPLOYMENT AVERAGE FOR ENGLEWOOD IS 24.9%, ROUGHLY 3X THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR CHICAGO. PROVIDING GOOD JOBS CAN STABILIZE THE COMMUNITY, AND THIS HAS BEEN A PART OF DION'S CHICAGO DREAM MODEL SINCE DAY ONE. NOT ONE VOLUNTEER HOUR HAS BEEN LOGGED FOR THE ORGANIZATION, ALLOWING DION'S CHICAGO DREAM TO FOCUS ON COMMUNITY HIRING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IMPACT: CURRENTLY, THE ORGANIZATION EMPLOYS 31 COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN LIVING-WAGE JOBS THAT PAY AT LEAST 20 PER HOUR. GIVEN OUR PROJECTED EXPANSION OVER THE NEXT YEAR, WE EXPECT THE ORGANIZATION'S STAFF TO REACH MORE THAN 60. AT THAT POINT, WE WOULD BE THE SECOND-LARGEST PRIVATE EMPLOYER IN ENGLEWOOD, NEXT TO ST. BERNARD HOSPITAL.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 2020.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
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