Walgreens Adds Dream Vault Smart Locker in Chicago
To improve health equity and food security in the Chicago market, Walgreens has joined forces with nonprofit Dion’s Chicago Dream to host Dream Vault smart lockers at the company’s Gage Park location at 55th and Kedzie Avenue. The Dream Vault is part of a collaboration between Dion’s Chicago Dream and Walgreens to provide free, high-quality produce to more than 275 Chicagoland households-in-need – about 1,000 residents – every week.
Unveiled by Dion’s Chicago Dream last year, the Dream Vault is a network-enabled bank of lockers designed to serve nearby households with a week-long supply of fresh fruits and vegetables, at no cost to them. Recipients enter a code to pick up their free box of healthy produce.
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“At one point in my life, I was a returning military veteran struggling to make ends meet. That’s one reason why we put our Dream Vaults in places like Walgreens that provide the goods and services we need to thrive. Retail pharmacies are a great example of this,” said Dion Dawson, founder of Dion’s Chicago Dream. “My vision is that our Dream Vault participants never have to choose between eating healthy and buying their medication, or any other basic need.”
“Walgreens is proud to partner with Dion’s Chicago Dream to support families in our Gage Park neighborhood. As a Chicago-based health and well-being company, we are pleased that for almost 125 years, we have provided access to essential services such as prescriptions, immunizations and over-the-counter medications. Our trusted products, ranging from vitamins to skin care, help our customers feel their best — inside and out,” said Tracey Brown, EVP and president, Walgreens retail and chief customer officer. “By collaborating with local organizations like Dion’s Chicago Dream, we aim to make a lasting impact and foster a healthier, more vibrant community for everyone.”
Food insecurity has been an issue in Gage Park, where nearly 21% of residents lack reliable, consistent access to healthy food.
Walgreens installed the Dream Vault on Oct. 22, allowing households within a 1-mile radius of the Walgreens store to participate in the program.
The Dream Vault made its retail debut at Save A Lot last year in Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood.
Deerfield, Ill.-based Walgreens currently operates nearly 9,000 retail locations across the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The company is No. 6 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
