Oswego Hero 'Celebrates The Achievements And Joys Of Others'

OSWEGO, IL — As the popular adage goes, heroes don't always wear a cape. But when tomes are tough, they emerge. We all know someone who's making a difference right now as we live through unprecedented times. Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize these everyday heroes.
This submission comes from Chris Jackson of Oswego, who nominated Joe Jackson:

Where the nominee lives:
Oswego

Where the person who nominated the hero lives:
Oswego

Name of the nominee:
Joe Jackson

Name of the person who nominated the hero:
Chris Jackson

Is the nominee considered an “essential worker”?
Yes

What does the nominee do for work?
Managing Director for Hesed House, the second largest homeless shelter in Illinois

Why do you believe the nominee should be recognized or honored?
Brothers don't shake hands...brothers gotta hug! Tommy Boy nailed it, didn't he? My little brother is Joe Jackson. Joe and I have always been there for each other, even when others chose not to. I taught him to tie his shoes, made sure he was fed at some daycares we were stuck in, and we always stood up for each other. Joe and I volunteer coached 3,000 plus kids in the Oswegoland area over the past decade at the Oswegoland Park District and the YMCA. We started Coach Chris Basketball to serve even more families at a rate affordable by all - $75 for 6 months of hoops. Early on, Joe did not even have his own children to coach yet, but he wanted to make a difference. Both of us served on the Board of the Oswego YMCA for years. Our motto to all our players is Work Hard, Do Your Best and Have Fun! Joe has embodied that to the extreme with his current work during this time of crisis. The toughest part of my family and me relocating to California is being away from Joe, his wonderful wife and my amazing nieces. Joe is the Managing Director at Hesed House, the second-largest homeless shelter in Illinois. COVID-19 threatened the life of Hesed's residents, and Joe and the Hesed Team rose to the challenge, finding a safe hotel for quarantine and moving in on a full time basis to My brother left his wife and children at home to serve others and keep his family safe.

What’s one thing you want everyone to know about your hero?
Joe inspires me every day, and he always celebrates the achievements and joys of others. He is the best brother a guy could have, and he is the most amazing uncle my five children could have ever envisioned.

Thank you for all you do, Joe!

All photos included in this post are owned by identified third parties who have given Patch the right to use explicitly for the Patch Local Heroes series.

>> Do YOU have a local hero you would like us to know about? Share their story here.