Feeding Greater Elgin gets boost from Rotary

Elgin Rotary Club president Randy Brittain presented Feeding Greater Elgin director Sue Erikson with a check for $1,000 at the club’s weekly meeting on Dec. 19.

“Hunger is a critical issue in the greater Elgin community,” Erikson said. “More than 11,000 live in poverty in Elgin and South Elgin and more than half the children in Elgin schools participate in free or reduced-cost lunch programs.” Erikson went on to say that, a recent food insecurity study calculated that more than 19,000 adults and children in the city of Elgin alone are food insecure.

The Rotary Club of Elgin has supported Feeding Greater Elgin since the food pantry’s inception in January 2011. Before the pantry moved to its new permanent location, 1553 Commerce Drive, Elgin, the Rotary Club of Elgin sponsored several mobile food pantries both financially and with volunteers. Recently, Rotary District 6440 joined the efforts by awarding the Club a $1,000 matching grant.

“Our community has seen the increasing demand for food services in our community, which is why we have chosen to partner with Feeding Greater Elgin,” said Brittain. “The food pantry is an organization on the front lines of fighting hunger and poverty among our neighbors. We are proud to back their efforts through our Rotary Club.”

Recently, the Rotary Club of Elgin gained the support of Mark Schramer, owner of Farm Direct Black Angus in Maple Park. Through the Rotary Club of Elgin, the Schramer family donated 240 pounds of locally raised organic beef to Feeding Greater Elgin.

Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. Rotary’s global membership is approximately 1.2 million men and women who belong to more than 32,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.

The Rotary Club of Elgin meets Mondays at 12:15 p.m. at Hickory Stick Bar and Grille at the Highlands Golf Course and meetings are concluded by 1:30 p.m. New members and guests are always welcome. The club was founded in 1922 with the object to encourage and foster service, high ethical standards in business, and the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace. For information, visit the organization’s website at rotaryclubofelgin.org.

Feeding Greater Elgin is a new collaborative nonprofit organization formed to address hunger in the greater Elgin community. Since forming in January 2011 as an agency member of Northern Illinois Food Bank, they have served more than 125,000 pounds of food to 2,400 families from the Elgin area.