Ashlie Stapleton

For decades, Pepper Construction has partnered with Advocate Health to create spaces that support healing, wellness and care throughout Chicagoland. But for Pepper, being a trusted partner has always meant more than delivering successful construction projects. It means investing in the communities Advocate serves and finding meaningful ways to support patients beyond the walls of the facilities we build.

That commitment comes to life through Pepper’s ongoing involvement with Advocate’s Food Farmacy program and the Advocate Smart Farm initiative.

What began as a financial contribution evolved into a hands-on volunteer partnership about two years ago. Working with Advocate’s team, Pepper employees began participating in Food Farmacy volunteer events, including food packing and distribution efforts that directly benefit patients facing food insecurity and chronic health challenges.

“Being a partner with Advocate for so long gives us the opportunity to create impact beyond just building a better facility,” said Ashlie Stapleton, Pepper’s Director of Inclusion and Industry Engagement, who coordinates the Food Farmacy volunteer efforts for Pepper. “It truly helps us support the people Advocate serves, who are our ultimate end users.”

Advocate’s Food Farmacy addresses an often-overlooked component of healthcare: access to nutritious food. The program provides healthy groceries to patients enrolled in community health initiatives, many of whom are managing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and other metabolic disorders. By helping patients access fresh produce and healthier meal options, the program supports better health outcomes while addressing food insecurity.

For Pepper volunteers, the experience brings the mission of healthcare closer to home.

Throughout the year, small teams of Pepper employees assist with Food Farmacy packing and distribution days. The partnership culminates each November with a large Thanksgiving distribution event, where as many as 15 Pepper volunteers work alongside Advocate team members to assemble and distribute holiday meal packages to hundreds of families.

The Thanksgiving event has become a favorite among volunteers because of the tangible impact it creates. Pepper team members arrive early to form assembly lines, pack produce and groceries and organize supplies before families begin arriving. Last year, Pepper also donated more than 200 reusable grocery bags to distribute the food. “Together, provided all the ingredients to help patients and families prepare a complete Thanksgiving meal, including the turkey,” said Ashlie.

Jim Bitters, Pepper’s lead Superintendent for Advocate projects, brought a unique perspective to the Food Farmacy.

“As someone who has been onsite with Advocate for the last five-and-a-half years, I immediately started to look at the packing and staging area as a jobsite.” Jim thought about what he could do to help our volunteers be more productive and create an efficient experience for all the people who were coming to pick up their food. He asked a couple workers from the construction site to come over and remove the garbage and load some of the food and boxes on moveable skids to keep things clean and organized throughout the day.

“When our client joined us,” said Ashlie, “they immediately commented on what a difference we had made and were not surprised to hear that it was the result of Jim’s and his team’s handiwork.”

While Jim is happy to help behind the scenes, the appreciation from recipients leaves a lasting impression.

“People are always so thankful,” Jim said. “What we are doing is truly making an impact. Even if it’s just for a week of cooking, it’s making a difference in their lives.”

Pepper’s support also reaches beyond food distribution through participation in Advocate’s Smart Farm in Barrington. The farm plays a critical role in the Food Farmacy ecosystem, growing fresh produce that is distributed through Advocate’s network of Food Farmacy locations.

During volunteer days at the Smart Farm, Pepper employees roll up their sleeves to harvest, wash and prepare produce. The experience offers a direct connection to the full journey of the food being provided to patients—from the field to the dinner table.

The Smart Farm’s impact continues to grow. Since its launch, the initiative has produced thousands of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables for families throughout Northern Illinois, with plans to significantly expand acreage and increase the number of meals provided in the years ahead. As the program grows, it will help serve even more communities across the region through Advocate’s expanding Food Farmacy network.

For Pepper, participation in both programs reflects a broader philosophy about partnership.

Construction projects may begin and end, but relationships endure. By supporting initiatives like the Food Farmacy and Smart Farm, we are continuing to strengthen our long-standing partnership with Advocate while helping advance the health and well-being of the communities we both serve.

The result is a different kind of building project focused not on steel and concrete, but on healthier families, stronger communities and a lasting impact that extends far beyond the structures themselves.

Advocate Food Farmacy
Advocate Food Farmacy
Advocate Food Farmacy
Advocate Food Farmacy
Advocate Food Farmacy
Advocate Food Farmacy
Advocate Food Farmacy
Advocate Food Farmacy
Advocate Food Farmacy
Advocate Food Farmacy
Advocate Food Farmacy
Advocate Food Farmacy

About the Author

Stapleton_Ashlie

Ashlie StapletonDirector of Inclusion and Industry Engagement, Illinois

With more than 11 years in the construction industry, including four years in project management at Pepper Construction Company working primarily in the senior housing and K-12 markets, Ashlie Stapleton was promoted to be the company’s Director of Inclusion and Industry Engagement. Her understanding of the construction culture, her personal experience as a woman of color in a male-dominated industry as well as her appreciation for Pepper’s culture as a family-owned company in its fourth generation of legacy and leadership make Ashlie the ideal leader to fill this important position.

Similar to what makes construction projects successful, Ashlie believes that good partnerships and strong relationships are also critical to DE&I efforts, whether they are targeted at current and potential employees, trade partners, clients or the communities with whom we engage. She continues to collaborate with her fellow DE&I work group leaders and members, focusing on Trade Partners and Field Labor, Employee Engagement and Community Outreach on these programs as they craft an even more equitable and inclusive future for Pepper. Ashlie also focuses on educating and inspiring our partners to understand and embrace the true meaning of DE&I, ultimately letting people know that they are welcome, and their voices are important. In addition, Ashlie helps the Pepper teams establish and track metrics for DE&I goals and commitments on projects and performs outreach in the communities where we build.

Ashlie’s professional affiliations include serving as Vice Chair of the US Minority Contractors Association STEM Advisory Board where she helps to develop ideas to attract under-represented individuals to careers in science, technology, engineering and math. She is also a member of Professional Women in Construction and serves on the mentorship committee specific to tradeswomen.