Undercover Congressman

Since taking office in 2009, Congressman Quigley has worked alongside 5th district residents in dozens of jobs so he can better understand the challenges his constituents face on a daily basis.

You can read more about the Congressman's "undercover" visits in articles published by the New York Times, Inside Booster and Roll Call.

He's done everything from delivering mail to making pinball machines to working as a car hop at Superdawg. Here's a full list of the places where Mike has gone "undercover":

2014:

• Packed meals for seniors with volunteers at Meals on Wheels
• Assisted employees to manufacture parts at A.M. Castle & Co.
• Worked alongside the hardworking crew at Half Acre Beer Company
• Collected and loaded recyclable materials alongside the crew at Blue Cart Recycling
• Worked as a treatment plant operator at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
• Produced military themed apparel at Rags of Honor alongside veterans

2013:

• Assisted the bakers in making tasty treats at Dinkel's Bakery
• Worked in the kitchen at HB Jones
• Helped in the catering and housekeeping departments at Oak Brook Marriott Hotel
• Worked as a furnace metal pourer and chemist 

2012:

• Worked the line at Greater Chicago Food Depository by labeling canned goods
• Assisted students at Loyola University Chicago's financial aid desk
• Volunteered at Lakeview Pantry during the Thanksgiving holiday
• Participated in a training session at Pits for Patriots
• Assisted volunteers in caring for dogs and cats at PAWS Chicago
• Toured the Vienna Beef headquarters and served up sandwiches at the Café
• Trained sea lions and baby beluga whales at the Shedd Aquarium
• Measured and cut sustainable, recycled granite at Earthstone Midwest
• Read stories to children at Children's Memorial Hospital as part of SERVE Illinois

2011:

• Swept the streets with 44th Ward Alderman Tom Tunney
• Served as a beekeeper and animal feeder at Notebaert Museum
• Served beer with Lakeview Citizens Council at Wrigleyville's SausageFest
• Conducted the school band at Bateman Elementary School
• Assembled industrial pumps at Graymills Manufacturing
• Traded in his suit for scrubs for a shift at Illinois Masonic Hospital
• Greeted guests and veterans at A Safe Haven, a facility helping those affected by homelessness, addiction, and unemployment
• Assisted veterans and handed out Valentines to guests at the Jesse Brown VA Hospital
• Delivered pizza with Leona's

2010:

• Served as a Principal for a day at Bateman Elementary School
• Distributed food packages to clients at Lakeview Pantry
• Manufactured parts at the Stern Pinball factory – the only pinball machine factory left in the world!
• Visited Norfolk Southern's Chicago operation to experience working on the rail road
• Made cheesecake in the Eli's Cheesecake kitchen
• Worked the printing presses and leaned about sustainable practices at Consolidated Printing
• Made candy at the Mars Factory
• Cleaned the rhino pen at the Lincoln Park Zoo
• Helped the staff at Neumann Neighbors with lawn care, street cleaning, carpentry work, and maintenance
• Worked at Nuts on Clark
• Provided the traffic reports on morning drive time radio with  Don Wade & Roma and the news team at WLS-AM
• Served slices of pizza at Al & Joe's in Franklin Park
• Delivered packages with UPS
• Discussed water infrastructure & water main maintenance with WMRD in Lakeview
• Worked and toured at Phoenix Electric
• Hopped on a garbage truck for a shift with the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation. 
• Tried the cafeteria food with students at Ravenswood School
• Learned how to make a proper Chicago hot dog and be a carhop at Superdawg
• Joined a United Postal Service mail carrier for a delivery route.
• Bussed tables at Connie's in Elmwood Park
• Went fishing for Asian Carp with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources

NBC Chicago showcased Congressman Quigley's unconventional way to understand the lives of his constituents.

This segment originally aired on NBC-5 Chicago, April 22, 2010.

If you would like Congressman Quigley to go "undercover" with you, please contact our District Office.  We will do our best to honor as many requests as possible as scheduling permits. You can access our photo gallery here.