Greater Chicago Food Depository

Today is #NationalVolunteerDay! The Food Depository would like to thank our fantastic volunteers for the countless hours they give to provide food for our neighbors. We are beyond grateful for you and your continuous service to help those in need – together we are greater! Want to get involved? We have a variety of volunteer opportunities, including repack sessions and delivering fresh produce. Visit https://bit.ly/3M2YDy7 to learn more! #EndHungerNow

During the school year, free breakfast and lunch programs ensure that students receive the food they need to stay healthy and ready to learn. However, when school is out for the summer, the absence of these meals can leave a significant gap in a child’s daily nutrition. To address this need, the Food Depository provides summer feeding programs that support children and families during the months when school is out. The federally funded Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides free, healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks to children ages 18 and younger. To read more about SFSP and how it positively impacts households, visit https://bit.ly/3WU4E4Y. #EndHungerNow

On #NationalSeniorCitizensDay and all year long, the Food Depository provides nutrition that supports healthy aging. We do so by offering monthly food boxes, distributing seasonal coupons to purchase fresh produce and more! To learn more about these programs, visit https://bit.ly/3xZPxhX. #EndHungerNow

Congratulations to our partner Common Pantry on its first anniversary in its new location! Margaret O'Conor, the pantry's executive director, spoke with Fox32 to discuss the benefits of the new space, including the ability to distribute 40% more food to our neighbors in need. Watch now: https://bit.ly/46Jt3ic

In honor of #NationalNonprofitDay, the Food Depository would like to thank our partners, supporters, staff and volunteers for helping us #EndHungerNow! We are so grateful for everything you do to help feed our community. Together, we are greater!

Summer can be a season of increased need among families with children. Kids who depend on the free and reduced-price meals that they receive at school lose access to that important source of nutrition during summer break. To help fill this gap, the federal government passed a new food program known as Summer EBT. This program will provide a one-time benefit of $120 per child, alleviating food insecurity among children and their families. To read more about Summer EBT and how it positively impacts households, visit https://bit.ly/3AwSQhx. #EndHungerNow

Last week, the Greater Chicago Food Depository was thrilled to host LEAD interns from The CAFE Group. Members of our team representing different departments shared their expertise and career path insights with this group of exceptional college students. Following that, the LEAD interns rolled up their sleeves and volunteered to repack food for our community. We were excited and honored to spend an afternoon with the next generation of leaders. We hope their time at the Food Depository inspires them to invest their careers in social change and philanthropy.

Yesterday, we were excited to host Chicago Fire FC, Avocados from Peru Mariano's for a day of service and the Guacamole Challenge! Local media personalities and Chicago Fire players competed to make the best tasting guacamole while raising awareness for our mission to #EndHungerNow. Thank you to these organizations for visiting the Food Depository and thank you to Avocados from Peru for donating a truckload of healthy, tasty avocados that will be distributed across our community in the coming days.

Last month, our partners gathered at the Food Depository for our Summer Partner Open House event. This gave them the opportunity to connect and network with other community members, while our staff were able to hear feedback and ideas from our partners. We are inspired by our partners and thankful that we get to work alongside so many individuals and organizations that support our mission to #EndHungerNow. Together, we are greater.

Today, we joined Governor JB Pritzker to announce the federal approval of Illinois’ proposed Healthcare Transformation 1115 Demonstration waiver. This initiative will help expand Medicaid coverage, address root causes of health disparities and support our work to #EndHungerNow. For more information on the 1115 waiver and how it will improve health outcomes, visit https://bit.ly/3SvYmYa.