THE FULL PLATE
F E E D I N G
O U R
H U N G R Y
®
IN THIS ISSUE
Remarkable
routine
Go behind the scenes at a soup
kitchen that provides a daily meal
Starting the
day off right
Milk2MyPlate Program’s
impact continues to grow
N E I G H B O R S
S UMMER 2015
P R E S I D E N T
T H E
F R O M
2 / 3 Summer 2015
Beat the heat by volunteering
S
ummer is almost here, and like
everyone, I can’t help my mind from
wandering to thoughts of vacation
and spending time in the sunshine.
At the same time, it’s important to
remember hunger doesn’t take a vacation.
Our neighbors in need rely on food from
Northern Illinois Food Bank throughout the
year, which means we need volunteers to
help sort and repack all of the donations that
come in over the summer months.
I invite you to take a break from the heat
this summer and join us at any of our three
centers in Geneva, Park City and Rockford.
The satisfaction that comes from helping
provide meals to our hungry neighbors is
enough to brighten anyone’s day, no matter
the time of year.
Volunteer opportunities are available
for groups of all sizes and children age
eight and older when accompanied by
an adult. Spending a morning, afternoon
or evening at the Food Bank can be the
perfect option for parents looking for a fun
activity with their kids during the dog days
of summer, or for a group of co-workers
looking to get out of the office for a unique
team-building opportunity.
The best part is knowing your time spent
will help a child who doesn’t have enough to
eat during the summer when school lunch
programs are not available, or a hungry
neighbor who is struggling to make ends
meet and provide food for his or her family.
My office at our West Suburban Center
in Geneva looks out over our volunteer hall,
and seeing groups of volunteers selflessly
donating their time gives me a daily
reminder of just how much support we have
in our mission of solving hunger.
Last year, more than 23,000 volunteers
donated 123,000 hours by volunteering
at the Food Bank. These numbers are
incredible, but we know that if we’re going
to reach our goal of distributing 75 million
meals by the year 2020, we’re going to need
even more support.
Help us get even more food to our hungry
neighbors by spreading the word among
your friends and family about the volunteer
opportunities at the Food Bank. Beyond
sorting and packing food, we also have
a new skills-based volunteer program for
people who want to share their talents, and
we are always in need of volunteers to help
out at events. Learn more and sign up today
at www.SolveHungerToday.org/volunteer.
Volunteers truly are the lifeblood of
our organization. Without their generous
support, our work would be impossible,
and hungry neighbors would not be able
to rely on the nutritious food we provide
throughout the year.
Many thanks to all of our volunteers and
supporters, and best wishes to everyone for
a summer filled with happiness. We hope
you’ll visit us soon.
Warmly,
Julie Yurko, president and CEO
Trish’s Story
Food pantry
makes a difference
Trish (left) gets a hug from a volunteer during a recent visit to The Chapel of Lake County's Community Care Center.
F
Calling all gardeners!
A
s you prepare your vegetable garden this season, consider planting a row to
donate to hungry neighbors. Fresh produce is always needed at community
food pantries and feeding programs. You can drop off donations at any of the
Food Bank’s three centers in Geneva, Park City and Rockford, or contact your local food
pantry to schedule a drop off. To find a food pantry or feeding program in your area, visit
www.SolveHungerToday.org/local
o
r Trish, visiting The Chapel of
Lake County’s Community Care
Center in Grayslake is making a real
difference as she and her husband
try to make ends meet.
“I can’t tell you the last time I spent more
than $10 or $20 at the grocery store,” Trish
said. “I used to spend a shopping cart full, but
since I’ve been coming here I’m not having to
choose between having food or paying a bill.”
Trish and her husband both work, putting
their household among the 77 percent that seek
food assistance from Northern Illinois Food
Bank and have a member that has worked in
the past 12 months. In Trish’s case, she lost her
job as a caretaker last year but was able to find
part-time work at a local retailer. While she likes
her new job, it only pays minimum wage.
“We just can’t pay the bills,” Trish said.
“No matter how we cut expenses, we can’t
make it anymore.”
This reality is what prompted Trish to start
making the trip twice a month from her home
in Mundelein to The Community Care Center,
which features a clothes closet and other
resources in addition to the food pantry.
“I’ve never felt embarrassed coming
here,” Trish said. “The people here are really
wonderful. I also like the variety of food. The
meats are especially important to me because
that’s the hardest thing to afford.”
Maintaining a healthy diet is a main
priority for Trish and her husband, who has
undergone bypass surgery. However, even
with food assistance, medical costs remain a
burden for the couple, putting them among the
62 percent of households who visit the Food
Bank’s network members and report
having to choose between paying for food
and medicine.
“I don’t go to the regular doctor because
of the expense,” said Trish. “I only see my
specialist because I have to in order to
get my medicine.”
For Trish, visiting the food pantry brings
to mind fond memories of volunteering
at Northern Illinois Food Bank’s previous
West Suburban Center in St. Charles on
several occasions a few years ago. While her
circumstances have changed, she is grateful
for the support from the Food Bank she finds
through her local pantry.
“I’m blessed,” Trish said. “And having
been on the other side and volunteering at
the Food Bank, I know what goes into this.
Receiving food has made me want to go back
and volunteer.”
EVERY $1 DONATED PROVIDES $8 WORTH OF GROCERIES FOR A NEIGHBOR IN NEED LIKE TRISH.
To donate, visit www.SolveHungerToday.org or return your donation in the envelope provided in this newsletter.
THE F ULL P L ATE
www.SolveHungerToday.org
Milk2MyPlate
According to the Hunger In America 2014 study, 37 percent of people who seek food
assistance from food pantries and feeding programs in Northern Illinois Food Bank’s network
report having to choose between paying for food and paying for education in the past 12 months.
Starting the day off right
O
Hunger on campus
Helping college
students in need
A
s an employee in the Career
Services Department at Northern
Illinois University, Kathy Zuidema
noticed how adept college students are at
volunteering, fundraising and holding food
drives for the DeKalb community at large.
At the same time, Kathy recognized food
insecurity as a serious issue for a number of
students on campus.
“I talked to students who said they would
ride their bike six miles in the snow to get
food from one of the food pantries in the
community,” Kathy said. “My thinking was
that some of this food being donated should
probably stay on campus for students in need.
That’s when I came up with the idea of starting
a little food pantry.”
Fast forward to the present and Huskies
Student Food Pantry is fresh off celebrating its
one-year anniversary in March. Open the first
and third Thursday of every month, the pantry
served more than 830 students at its location
at Grace Place Campus Ministries during
its first year of operation.
4 / 5 THE F ULL P L ATE
The mission of Huskies Student Food Pantry
is to provide emergency food to NIU students
in times of need. This can be on one occasion
because a student encountered an unforeseen
expense, or on a more regular basis for
students struggling to make ends meet.
Stephen is a junior majoring in
communications at NIU who hopes to one
day work in sports broadcasting. He visited
Huskies Student Food Pantry on its first
distribution and never stopped coming back.
Stephen has a part-time job but last spring
found himself struggling to afford food, and he
knew there were limits to the financial support
he could expect from his parents.
“There were some days where I had to
stretch my meals,” Stephen said. “There were
mornings I wouldn’t eat and try to make it all
the way to dinner. I was finally able to get meals
situated by coming to the food pantry, and this
helps me get through the day. I’m able to stock
up on food like cereal, soup and bread.”
Kathy says many of the students who visit
the pantry work, and they are sometimes
juggling two or three jobs in addition to their
studies. She primarily sees undergraduates
living in their own apartments coming to use
the pantry. International students are frequent
visitors as well, and Kathy has a goal of
reaching out to students who are single parents
or served in the military.
“We’ve talked to a student who was eating
plain rice all week long, and we talked to
a student who just drank water to fill his
stomach,” said Kathy, who serves as the
Huskies Student Food Pantry coordinator.
“That’s not what college is all about. We say
you have to hunger for knowledge, not literally
be hungry.”
While college food pantries are popping
up on campuses across the state and
country, Huskies Student Food Pantry is the
only college food pantry in Northern Illinois
Food Bank’s network.
“We get a lot of support from the
NIU community and churches around the
area,” Kathy said. “This is really rewarding
work, but I couldn’t do it without Northern
Illinois Food Bank.”
ne gallon of milk might
not seem like much, but
for Anna, the gallon she
receives during each of
her two monthly visits to
Kendall County Food Pantry is vital.
Last fall Anna became a foster parent for
Dylan, a 5-year-old boy she began caring
for in Yorkville. With an extra mouth to feed,
Anna began turning to her local food pantry
as a way to offset increased food expenses
she was struggling to afford.
“Every day we start off with milk and
cereal I get from the food pantry, and that
starts off Dylan’s whole day,” Anna said.
“It gives him a healthy start so he can go
off and at least not be behind the eight ball
when he gets to school.”
Anna receives milk through Northern
Illinois Food Bank’s Milk2MyPlate Program,
which provides hungry neighbors with the
calcium, Vitamin D and other essential
nutrients found in milk.
Kendall County Food Pantry is one
of 34 community food pantries in the
Food Bank’s network participating in
Milk2MyPlate. More than 11,000 gallons of
milk are delivered each month through the
program, representing a big jump from the
1,300 gallons distributed among six food
pantries when Milk2MyPlate began in 2012.
“When this program became available
for us, it was kind of a no-brainer,” said
Maria Spaeth, Kendall County Food Pantry
executive director. “We always speak about
how important that first meal of the day is,
especially for kids, and breakfast is not as
good for them without the milk. Kids need
this nutrient-dense product for growth.”
Cost is a barrier that often keeps
hungry neighbors and food pantries from
purchasing fresh milk, and donations have
traditionally been hard to come by because
milk is heavily regulated and has a short
shelf life.
To overcome these challenges, Northern
Illinois Food Bank forged a partnership with
Prairie Farms Dairy - Rockford Division to
directly deliver a weekly supply of fresh
milk to participating food pantries. The
Milk2MyPlate program allows hungry
neighbors to take home milk that is as
fresh, or fresher, than what would be found
in the store.
The Food Bank subsidizes a portion
of the wholesale cost of milk for the food
pantries. Kendall County Food Pantry
started its own initiative called Project Get
Milk to help fund its portion of the cost, and
last year the pantry raised enough money
to support its current weekly allotment
of 140 gallons within eight minutes after
showing a lighthearted video about the
program at its annual fundraiser.
With more than 300 people visiting
Kendall County Food Pantry every week,
the pantry only distributes milk to families
with children and seniors. Maria hopes to
double the pantry’s milk distribution soon,
and she is confident this can happen
since milk is a need that resonates with
donors.
“I haven’t had an issue with
people understanding the need or
the importance,” Maria said. “Our
goal is to be able to provide milk
to every person, every time.”
Milk2MyPlate garners
national recognition
T
he Midwest Dairy Council
nominated Northern Illinois
Food Bank’s Milk2MyPlate
Program for consideration for a
U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award,
which recognizes dairy farms and
businesses for practices that deliver
outstanding economic, environmental
and/or social benefit.
The Milk2MyPlate Program
earned an honorable mention in the
category of Outstanding Achievement
in Community Partnerships.
Representatives from the Food
Bank attended an awards ceremony
on May 7 in Washington D.C. as
part of the Innovation Center’s
Sustainability Council meeting.
JUNE IS NATIONAL DAIRY MONTH. To make a donation to Northern Illinois Food Bank’s
Milk2MyPlate Program and help the Food Bank subsidize a portion of the cost of milk for participating
food pantries, contact Hester Bury at 630-443-6910 ext. 124 or [email protected].
www.SolveHungerToday.org
Remarkable Routine
2
6
3
4
1
7
5
8
9
¾This is an abridged version of an article written by our communications manager, Erik Jacobsen. View the entire article at www.SolveHungerToday.org.
W
ith all the incredible
work being done on a
regular basis across
Northern Illinois Food
Bank’s network of food
pantries and feeding programs, helping hungry
neighbors can start to seem routine.
Shepherd’s Table soup kitchen in Joliet offers
a reminder that routine can be remarkable.
Seven days a week, 365 days a year, hungry
neighbors from the surrounding community
come to Shepherd’s Table to receive a midday
meal. We joined kitchen coordinator Gail
Flatness on a Friday this spring to get a sense
of all that goes into feeding lunch to an average
of 100 neighbors in need every day.
¾9 A.M.
Sunlight pours into the Shepherd’s Table
dining hall through large windows and
illuminates brightly painted walls. Last year
1,921 people came to Shepherd’s Table in
search of a warm lunchtime meal, many on
a regular basis.
Shepherd’s Table is located within Daybreak
Center's homeless shelter, and both Shepherd’s
6 / 7 THE F ULL P L ATE
Table and Daybreak Center are operated by
Catholic Charities Diocese of Joliet.
Gail counts on more than 2,200 volunteers
every year to help Shepherd’s Table run
smoothly. These volunteers come from a wide
range of organizations, including churches,
schools and local companies.
On this day, a group of volunteers from
Hollywood Casino Joliet have stepped up to
make the lunchtime meal. One by one the
volunteers arrive, wash their hands and get
to work preparing an enormous salad to feed
75-100 people.
The group is led by Hollywood Casino
executive chef Larry Alexander, who makes
his way to the basement to survey Daybreak’s
food closet. As he scans the shelves, he fixates
on a stack of canned salmon Gail received from
the Food Bank and begins mapping out the
day’s menu.
“We’ll make salmon cakes with a little
cream sauce to go over it,” Larry says.
“We’ll knock out some rice pilaf and green
beans to go along with the salad. And I saw
chocolate chip cookies upstairs that can be
popped in the oven.”
¾9:30 A.M.
While preparation continues in the kitchen,
Gail is alerted that Northern Illinois Food
Bank’s delivery truck has arrived. She meets
Food Bank driver Kevin Buckley outside as he
unloads four pallets stacked with Gail’s order.
Back in the kitchen, Larry has water boiling
in 20-gallon pots to cook the rice and canned
green beans. Meanwhile, his co-workers from
the casino are busy finishing up the salad and
emptying salmon from dozens of cans for the
main course.
¾10 A.M.
Downstairs in the food closet, a group of
community service volunteers is stocking
shelves with the order that just came in from
the Food Bank.
In the kitchen, the attention turns to
creating salmon patties. Peppers, onion,
mustard and mayonnaise are mixed in a
big bowl, and one by one the 125 salmon
cakes are coated with the mixture and rolled
through bread crumbs before being placed
on a baking sheet.
“I love doing this because it’s so important
to help others,” Larry said. “It’s truly a humbling
experience. If it weren’t for the grace of God, it
could be me needing a meal.”
¾10:45 A.M.
Outside in the dining hall, a small group of
people who are staying at Daybreak Center’s
shelter are waiting patiently for lunch. One of
these hungry neighbors is Mary Ellen, 59, a
former public school teacher who lost her job in
a round of layoffs.
“Lunch is the highlight of the day here for
everyone,” Mary Ellen said. “The meals here
are really good. There is a lot of variety, and I’m
really impressed that with every meal there is a
fresh salad.”
¾11:30 A.M.
“And we’re off,” says Gail as she and the
volunteers open the kitchen windows.
Just like that, lunch is ready to be served as
the volunteers take their place along the serving
counter and one-by-one place salmon cakes,
rice, beans, salad and cookies on the plates of
hungry neighbors. Mary Ellen receives her plate
and sits with a few other shelter residents, who
all say they are enjoying today’s meal.
“I’m not a fish lover, but you can tell a little
extra care went into this,” she said.
¾NOON
While lunch continues to be served
inside, another Northern Illinois Food Bank
delivery truck pulls up outside. This time
the driver is Tom Aguirre, who covers a retail
recovery route in Will County by picking up
food donations from seven local grocery stores.
“We hit the mother lode with eggs at one
of the stores today,” Tom says as he lowers a
pallet from his truck. “Gail is going to be really
happy because she says she always needs
more eggs.”
Back in the dining room, several hungry
neighbors return to the kitchen window
for seconds. Included in this group is George,
who is diabetic and staying at Daybreak
Center’s shelter.
“The salmon is delicious and the rice is
excellent,” George says before explaining how
much he appreciates receiving a healthy meal
that includes food that fits his dietary needs.
¾12:30 P.M.
With everyone served and the lunch hour
winding down, volunteers help clean dishes and
mop the kitchen floor.
Gail’s thoughts turn to the work she needs
to do to coordinate meals for the upcoming
weekend, but she spares a moment to reflect
on Shepherd’s Kitchen’s impact.
“People count on this every day,” said Gail.
“It’s always fun to see what the volunteers come
up with, and the best part of the job is knowing
you are helping somebody. It might just be a
meal, but you’re helping somebody.”
1. Chef Larry Alexander plans the day's meal. 2.
Volunteers prepare a salad. 3. Kitchen coordinator Gail
Flatness. 4. Mary Ellen appreciates the variety of food she
receives at Shepherd's Table. 5. Food Bank driver Tom
Aguirre makes a retail recovery delivery. 6. Larry prepares
the salmon cakes. 7. Volunteers serve lunch. 8. Food
Bank driver Kevin Buckley looks over Shepherd's Table's
order with a volunteer. 9. Shepherd's Table serves an
average of 100 hungry neighbors each day.
www.SolveHungerToday.org
www.SolveHungerToday.org
No sc
...n
No school...
...no lunch.
FEED A CHILD @
Summer Meals
www.SolveHungerToday.org
Reaching kids in need during the summer
Northern Illinois Food Bank has opportunities
for 11 AmeriCorps VISTAs in 2015-16 in
community engagement, capacity building,
communications, community gardens and
senior programming. For information, visit
www.nationalservice.gov and search under
the programs tab or call Gloria Sanders at
630-443-6910 ext. 147.
AmeriCorps VISTA
Commitment
to community
service
W
hat makes a recent college
graduate decide to devote a
year of service with Northern
Illinois Food Bank as an
AmeriCorps VISTA member?
For Dylan Mooney, who grew up a few
miles from the Food Bank’s West Suburban
Center in Geneva in the community of Wayne,
the attraction was the opportunity to make an
impact close to home while gaining valuable
experience at a non-profit organization.
“If you talk about non-profits in suburban
Chicago, Northern Illinois Food Bank is top tier
in terms of the effectiveness of their services
and their reputation in the community,” said
Dylan, a 23-year-old graduate of Wheaton
College. “I figured that if they put as much
time and effort into their staff as they do their
programs, I would be sure to grow personally
and professionally.”
8 / 9
THE F ULL P L ATE
This fiscal year Northern Illinois Food Bank’s
mission of solving hunger is getting a significant
boost from eight young professionals who
are serving the community as AmeriCorps
VISTA members. As part of their one year
term of service, the VISTA members are aiding
the Food Bank by focusing in the areas of
community engagement, capacity building and
volunteer development.
Joining Dylan as VISTA members serving
at the Food Bank this year are: Jennifer Baek
of Northbrook, Ill.; Amanda Breitenstein of
Crystal Lake, Ill.; Abby Johnson of Dodge City,
Kan.; Jennifer Lesh of Elmhurst, Ill.; Joanna
Magdelano of Schaumburg, Ill.; Kristen Pruitt
of Flowery Branch, Ga.; and Jessica Thuma of
Woodstock, Ill.
The AmeriCorps VISTA program was founded
in 1965 as a national service program designed
specifically to fight poverty in America. Northern
Illinois Food Bank received a three-year grant to
use AmeriCorps VISTA members in 2012, and
three former VISTA members have been hired
to work full time at the Food Bank after their
one-year term.
“Our VISTA members come from all walks of
life, and their fresh perspective has been really
great because they challenge us on some of our
programs and processes,” said Jennifer Rippi,
Northern Illinois Food Bank’s director of human
resources. “The impact they make internally
for the Food Bank has been tremendous.”
In his role as a community engagement
ambassador, Dylan gives frequent presentations
to corporate and community groups, researches
and writes grant proposals and manages
the Food Bank’s poverty simulation program.
He is also working with Lord’s Lambs Ministry
in Kankakee County to set up a capital
campaign to raise $300,000 that will be used
to construct a permanent building for the
organization’s food pantry.
Dylan was presented with a Governor's
Volunteer Service Award on April 20 in
Springfield. The statewide awards program
is run by the bipartisan, Governor-appointed
Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism
and Community Service.
While Dylan appreciates the individual
recognition, he is most proud of the
day-to-day work he and his fellow VISTAs
are doing at Northern Illinois Food Bank to
help solve hunger.
“We all have in common the commitment
to community service, which is the essence of
AmeriCorps and VISTA,” said Dylan, who hopes
to continue working in non-profits after his
VISTA term ends. “That’s the common thread
in our very colorful cloth.”
A
sk a kid what their favorite part of summer is, and you’re likely to get this
answer: no school.
But, no school means no school lunches, which for some kids in northern
Illinois means no lunch at all.
Tenae, a mother of four from Zion, knows the struggle of providing food
during the summer all too well.
“In the summertime, the kids are enjoying themselves and I’m happy they’re happy,
but I’m looking at the fridge and the cabinets and thinking, ‘Where is the food going?”
Tenae said during a visit to Abiding Love Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen in Zion.
Thanks to Northern Illinois Food Bank’s Summer Meal Program, families struggling
to make ends meet like Tenae’s can find a sense of relief.
Through the program, families can get access to breakfast, lunch, and
snacks for their children at nearly 100 sites across northern Illinois.
Last year alone, the program served 283,894 summer meals to children in need by
working with summer youth programs at parks, churches, schools, and other sites
throughout the community. The program is expected to continue growing this year,
meaning more kids can enjoy their school-free summer with a full tummy.
The Summer Meal Program runs from June 1 to Aug. 22, and is still accepting new
sites for summer 2015.
If your youth program is interested in hosting the Summer Meal Program, please
call Tracy Kelsey at 630-443-6910.
Northern Illinois Food Bank’s Summer Meal Program is offered in partnership with
the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program and administered by the Illinois State
Board of Education.
To locate a participating Summer Meal Program near you, visit
SummerFeedingIllinois.org or call the Food Bank at 630-443-6910.
A Taste That Matters
presented by Jewel-Osco
W
e look forward to seeing everyone at A Taste
That Matters presented by Jewel-Osco on
May 21 at Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace. Tickets
are still available, so come enjoy tastings from
Chicagoland’s best restaurants and celebrity wine makers,
The Three Theives. For details, contact Tiffany King at
630-443-6910 ext. 136 or [email protected].
And watch for photos from this year’s event in the next
edition of The Full Plate.
S
U
O
T
R
E
T
YOU MAT
FEED
I
n this issue we feature The Welcome Club
of the Fox Valley, a group of wonderful
ladies who volunteer every Wednesday at our
West Suburban Center by folding, stuffing,
sealing and stamping our acknowledgement
letters and invitations. In one year, this group
sends out more than 50,000 pieces of mail!
Answering our questions is Sue Lingle, one of
the group’s organizers.
www.Solve
How long has The Welcome Club of the
Fox Valley been volunteering at Northern
Illinois Food Bank?
For most of us, it has been somewhere between
three and nine years. Ellie Radvanovsky started
organizing the group nine years ago and
brought all of us together.
Why does The Welcome Club of the Fox
Valley support the Food Bank?
We have the time and energy, and a passion to
help. We know that the need for donations to
Northern Illinois Food Bank is greater than ever,
and we are so happy to give back in a small way
by acknowledging and thanking donors.
What are your hobbies?
We all have many interests and are a very
vibrant group. Some of our hobbies are playing
Scrabble, Mexican Train, Bunco and Mahjongg.
We’re also involved in book clubs and enjoy
movies and traveling.
What is your favorite Food Bank moment?
We really enjoy the volunteer appreciation
events, especially the Christmas party. It’s
always nice to comingle with Food Bank staff.
What is the best advice you ever received?
Volunteer whenever you can.
What is your favorite part about
volunteering at the Food Bank?
Being with friends, old and new, and seeing
a job done well.
www.SolveHungerToday.org
AROUND THE FOOD BANK
®
Our
thanks
to
everyone who joined us in early
More than 1,200 people participated in the
Foodie 5K in April at Cantigny Park in Wheaton.
March for an open house at our
Northwest Center in Rockford.
A special thanks to all who
participated in a ribbon-cutting
ceremony to commemorate
the move, including members
of the Rockford Chamber of
Commerce, representatives
from food donors DelMonte
and Tyson Foods, and
representatives from food
pantries and feeding programs
in the Stateline area.
Foodie
5K
This year nine food trucks are taking part
in each Foodie 5K post-race festival.
Thank you
to everyone who
participated in the Foodie 5K presented
by Meijer at Cantigny Park in Wheaton
and Adler Park in Libertyville! Be sure
to join us for our next Foodie 5K event
Oct. 3 at Chicagoland Speedway
in Joliet. Registration is open at
www.SolveHungerToday.org/Foodie5K
10 / 11 THE F ULL P L ATE
Registration is open for the Foodie 5K on
Oct. 3 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet.
In recognition of Canned
Food Month in February, Ryan
Companies US, Inc. created
a can sculpture of a bulldozer
that was on display in the lobby
of our West Suburban Center
in Geneva. The sculpture was
built with nearly 700 cans in
conjunction with a food and
fund drive held by Ryan’s Great
Lakes region office in Naperville.
The campaign raised more
than $6,000 and approximately
1,000 pounds of food for hungry
neighbors. Ryan Companies
constructed our West Suburban
Center in 2011, and we are
grateful for its continued support
of the Food Bank!
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www.SolveHungerToday.org
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273 DEARBORN COURT GENEVA, ILLINOIS 60134
Upcoming Activities
MAY
See our complete calendar of events at
www.SolveHungerToday.org
May 21
A Taste That Matters presented by Jewel-Osco
Join Northern Illinois Food Bank and Jewel-Osco for an amazing night of
tastes from some of Chicagoland’s finest restaurants at the fourth annual
A Taste That Matters. For details, contact Tiffany King at 630-443-6910
ext. 136 or [email protected].
RAM
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Location: Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace
BL
AUGUST 25
SEPTEMBER
(Hunger Action Month)
Go Orange Day
September 3
Start planning how you will bring awareness to the issue of hunger
during Hunger Action Month by wearing orange, holding a food or fund
drive or starting a conversation about hunger.
(8:30 A.M. SHOTGUN START)
Reserve your place in our 17th annual golf outing. Enjoy a day on
the links and then join us following the round for a 19th Hole Awards
Reception in Cantigny Golf Club’s clubhouse. For more information, to
register your foursome or become a sponsor, contact Hanah Papp at
630-443-6910 ext. 159 or [email protected].
OCTOBER
Location: Cantigny Golf Club, Wheaton
Join us for the Foodie 5K and post-race festival including gourmet
food trucks, entertainment and activities for kids. Learn more at
www.SolveHungerToday.org/Foodie5K
Foodie 5K presented by Meijer
October 3
Location: Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet
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latest happenings at the Food Bank.
Send comments/questions about articles in
this issue to [email protected]