Recognizing the Life of Lauren Verdich

Floor Speech

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Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of LGBTQ activist, community advocate, and friend Lauren Verdich.

During the mid-1980s, Lauren became part of a group of volunteers at the AIDS Memorial Quilt Display at Navy Pier who came together to provide hot meals to homebound Chicagoans with HIV/AIDS. She helped to found Open Hand, an organization which served meals to people impacted by HIV/AIDS, and which still lives on today as part of Heartland Health Alliance.

She pursued her passion for cooking by starting Lauren's Catering in 1986, donating tens of thousands of dollars' worth of goods and services to nonprofits over the years. She was a founding member of the Chicago Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, founded in 1995. To honor all of her achievements, Verdich was inducted into Chicago's LGBT Hall of Fame in 2015.

I was honored to have her join my LGBT Advisory Committee and help educate me on the needs of the LGBT community in my district. She was a strong force, a fearless advocate and a friend who will be missed.

She is survived by her spouse Gail Morse; son Jordan Wolski and their son Zachery Wolski; daughter Dana Bennett; sisters Roberta Heinrich, Andrea Reich and Linda Mankoff; brother Steven lsaacson; loving nieces and nephews; countless friends and those whose lives she touched.

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