CEDA hosts food basket giveaway for Thanksgiving

Families across Cook County were surprised with Thanksgiving food baskets filled with a cornucopia of fresh vegetables, canned goods and turkeys from CEDA.

CEDA’s office in Mount Prospect received generous donations of nonperishable items for baskets distributed to families in the Northwest suburbs.

Betsy Kmiecik, vice president, Human Resources, Daily Herald Publications and The Daily Herald newspaper hosted a canned food drive with proceeds going to the CEDA, as well as the student council at Wheeling High School, who organized and executed a Community Can Food Drive that yielded more than 70 boxes of food.

CEDA’s food pantries feed families in need all year, but these donations largely increased the number of families who received food for Thanksgiving.

“CEDA works year-round to combat the challenges associated with hunger by providing access to nutritious food through our food pantries, distributing vouchers to mothers and children for locally grown fruits and vegetables, and even working with residents to build community gardens in their neighborhoods,” said Patricia Doherty-Wildner, president/chief executive officer, CEDA. “However, the number of families plagued by food insecurity is steadily rising and CEDA, like many local food pantries and charitable organizations cannot keep pace.”

In addition to contributions from partners and local donors, CEDA staff also gave generously by helping to fill food drive collection bins and volunteering to pack baskets, call selected families and even deliver baskets.

For more information about donating to CEDA’s food pantries or to volunteer, visit www.cedaorg.net/www2/MakeaDifference.html.

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