Institute of Politics

Overview of Organization:

Coppin Community Center is a social-service nonprofit located at Coppin Memorial AME Church in the Washington Park neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side (a short 20-minute bus ride from campus). It operates food and meal programs and hosts youth and family programs such as the Boys & Girls Club. Over the past few years, Coppin has expanded from a hyper-local focus on the surrounding three zip code areas to serving the entire South Side. The center is led by Frankye Parham, a retired educator with extensive experience in social work and special education, and guided by a dedicated board of directors. Coppin Community Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. MESA (Manos Entrelazadas South Side Alliance) is a mutual aid organization operating within the Coppin Community Center. MESA was created to address the needs of recently arrived immigrants being bused to Chicago from Texas. Since April 2024, its free store has provided clothes, diapers, hygiene products, furniture, and more to the South Side community. MESA’s goal is to challenge the narrative that pits long-time residents against new immigrant arrivals by providing resources to all residents of the South Side.

Internship Summary:

Coppin Community Center and MESA are seeking an academic year intern who can add support in three key areas: direct service support, grant writing, and social media content creation. This internship offers students the opportunity to engage directly with our community by staffing our food pantry and free store. Interns will work to expand the Center’s and MESA’s social media presence and contribute to the organizations’ fundraising and outreach efforts. The ideal candidate will be enthusiastic about community building and social service, with an interest in using digital tools to make nonprofit work more impactful and sustainable.

Responsibilities:

Pantry/Free Store Support & Community Engagement (40%): Assist with the weekly food pantry distribution and free store. Sort and distribute groceries and donations while supporting our clients in accessing additional services. Candidates must be able to staff the food pantry at Coppin on Mondays from 3:30 to 6:30 pm CT. The selected intern should be open to scheduling their spring 2026 classes around the anchoring pantry shift, as this is the primary in-person shift in the internship. Please note that candidates should have the ability and willingness to move boxes, food supplies, and carts of various sizes and weights. Social Media & Content Creation (30%): In collaboration with Coppin and MESA leadership, create and post engaging content (videos, photos, and written posts) across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Help update the website and social media to reflect new events, programs, and opportunities. Creatively use social media to encourage donations and community engagement. These responsibilities can be done synchronously in-person or virtually (synchronously or asynchronously, depending on supervisor preference). Grant Writing & Data Management (30%): Research grant opportunities and assist with grant writing. Gather data and statistics about the populations Coppin and MESA serve to help secure funding for their programs. Organize and update metrics on client demographics and program success. These responsibilities can be done synchronously in-person or virtually (synchronously or asynchronously, depending on supervisor preference).

Preferred Qualifications:

Strong written and verbal communication skills Basic understanding of social media platforms and content creation, including graphic design and video editing Ability to collect, analyze, and manage data. Experience with Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel preferred Passion for community service and nonprofit work Experience with grant writing preferred Fluency in Spanish is preferred (or a willingness to learn) due to the diverse demographic of our patrons Desire to explore local Hyde Park and adjacent communities, and ability to walk, take a bus, or drive to the pantry

About the Supervisor:

Frankye Parham is the Director of the Coppin Community Center. She received a B.S. in Educational Administration and Supervision from the School of Speech at Roosevelt University. She worked for 34 years for Chicago Public Schools, teaching special needs students ranging from elementary school to high school. After retiring in 2010, she joined Coppin Memorial A.M.E. Church and started volunteering with the Coppin Community Center. In 2011, she partnered with the Greater Chicago Food Depository to start the Center’s food pantry.

Arcelia Guerrero is the co-founder of MESA (Manos Entrelazadas South Side Alliance). She began volunteering with recently arrived immigrants in 2023, collecting donations from neighbors and delivering them to makeshift migrant shelters in Chicago police stations. This work led to the creation of MESA’s free store La Tiendita, which moved into the Coppin Community Center in April 2024.

Eligibility:

• International students
• Domestic students
• Undergraduate and graduate students

Location, Modality, and Commute:

Our team is located at 5627-33 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60637. We would expect students to join us in person on Mondays from 4:00 - 6:00 PM, but we are flexible with interns’ class schedules. The office is accessible via the 55 bus to Garfield and Michigan.

Start and End Date:

The Academic Year internships will take place according to the IOP’s timeline, with specific dates and weekly hours to be determined by the employer partner and intern during the interview process:

• Onboarding: November – December 2025
• Intern Work Period: January – May 2026