The DuPage Community Foundation Grants Assist Food Pantries With Food Rescue

Northern Illinois Food Bank's Food Recovery Program has developed over the years, according to Hester Bury, director of corporate and foundation giving for the Northern Illinois Food Bank. "We started the program in 2001 with Jewel Food Stores as our primary partner, said Bury. Today, we partner with 71 retailers in DuPage County."

Initially, Northern Illinois Food Bank would pick up from each retailer twice per week and

distribute the food to a local food pantry. Bury explained that a couple of years ago the retail

partners who were supplying food to Northern Illinois Food Bank requested more frequent food

pick-ups. While the Food Bank was not equipped to pick up food more than twice a week, it recognized an opportunity to distribute the fresh, donated food faster to neighbors in need by adding a pantry pick-up component to the program. Thus, the Direct Connect Program, which

matches food pantries with stores proximate to their locations for pick-ups on days the Food Bank cannot be at the stores, was born.

Of the 71 DuPage stores that provide food to the Food Bank, 66 of them are matched up with two dozen food pantries through the Direct Connect Program. The food pantries that agreed to make the extra pick-ups are required to report back to Northern Illinois Food Bank so that a collective report may be given to the corporate partners.

"We wanted to maintain the great relationships that we established with our partners and offer them the best service possible," said Bury. "The Direct Connect Program is a win-win-win all the way around. The food pantries are able to rescue the food in a more timely manner, which means it gets to those in need faster. The stores are happy with more frequent pick-ups and our help in embracing their zero waste policy, and the Food Bank is satisfied knowing that more food is being made available in the food pantry network."

Two area food pantries that are in the food rescue network are the Neighborhood Food Pantries and the West Suburban Community Food Pantry. Both have received grants from The DuPage Community Foundation to purchase vehicles to assist with their food recovery efforts.

Neighborhood Food Pantries received a grant in the Foundation's 2014 Spring Community Needs Grant Cycle and the West Suburban Food Pantry received a grant in the Foundation's 2013 Spring Community Needs Grant Cycle.

Neighborhood Food Pantries

The mission of Neighborhood Food Pantries (NFP) is to effectively distribute food and

emergency assistance in Northwest DuPage through community and faith partnerships, collaboration, volunteer efforts and ongoing fundraising. Tom Norton, executive director for NFP, has been involved with the pantries for a dozen years and is grateful for many of the partnerships involved in making the NFP a vital part of the communities they serve.

With offices located at St. Isidore Parish in Bloomingdale and six area pantries located at various churches throughout DuPage County, NFP engages approximately 150 volunteers with 30 of them rescuing food from various community partners. "The vans are a godsend," said Norton. "They are crucial to our food recovery program but another advantage is that they give us the opportunity to share the food that is allowed to be shared with our other pantries."

NFP is a Direct Connect Program partner with the Northern Illinois Food Bank and they have created their own direct relationships as well. A grant from The DuPage Community Foundation's Community Needs Program funded the vans, which are shared by three of the pantries. "Thanks to The Foundation, we are able to rescue food from many community partners," said Norton.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of NFP. "We've grown from three to six pantries and from 12 to 28 partners," Norton said. "The business of food pantries has changed over the years and with grants, partnerships, churches, volunteers and some fundraising, we are making a huge difference in the lives of many people in DuPage. That's a great feeling."

West Suburban Community Pantry

The West Suburban Community Pantry participates in the food recovery program and

picks up food weekly as a Direct Connect Program partner. The West Suburban Food Pantry serves all of DuPage County and beginning this September will offer its clients access to the food pantry twice per month as opposed to once per month. "Our clients alerted us to the fact that once a month is not enough to sustain the food for their families," said Eric Gardner, development director for the West Suburban Community Pantry.

The West Suburban Community Pantry's Direct Connect Partner is Wal-Mart, who according to Bury, worked with Northern Illinois Food Bank as a test case on how the food was managed prior to participating in the food rescue program. "Now Wal-Mart supports food banks and pantries across the county," said Bury.

Approximately 165 regular volunteers assist with client services, the sorting and stocking of food, and food rescue pick-ups. "The van that was purchased with a grant from The DuPage Community Foundation is a crucial part of our food rescue efforts," said Gardner. "We are grateful to the Foundation for this critical support."

About The DuPage Community Foundation:

The DuPage Community Foundation seeks to raise the quality of life throughout DuPage County by fostering philanthropy, connecting donors to area needs and building community partnerships. Based on the American virtues of volunteerism and philanthropy, the Foundation fosters a legacy of support for the people of DuPage County by making grants to not-for-profit organizations working in the areas of arts and culture, education, environment, health, and human

services. Since its inception, the Foundation has built its endowment to more than $60 million and awarded more than $19 million in grants to not-for-profit agencies serving the residents of

DuPage County and beyond.

Established in 1986, The DuPage Community Foundation is a publicly-supported 501(c)(3) organization to which contributions are tax deductible. It was created to benefit the people of DuPage County and receives contributions and bequests into a permanent endowment from individuals, corporations, organizations and foundations wishing to make lasting contributions to the people of DuPage. The earnings on these funds are then used, in accordance with donor wishes, for the Foundation's grantmaking and community leadership activities.

For more information about the Foundation, or to arrange future media opportunities, please contact Joelyn Kott, marketing & communications officer, at (630) 665-5556, extension 19, or jkott@dcfdn.org.

About Northern Illinois Food Bank:

Northern Illinois Food Bank leads the northern Illinois community in solving hunger by providing nutritious meals to those in need through innovative programs and partnerships. Since 1983, food manufacturers, local groceries, corporations, foundations, and individuals have come together to donate food and funds, and evaluate and repack food for distribution to 800 community food pantries and feeding programs serving more than 71,000 hungry neighbors each week across 13 counties. That commitment provided 50 million meals to those in need in FY14. For information on how to volunteer, donate and get involved, visit www.SolveHungerToday.org. Northern Illinois Food Bank is a member of Feeding

America.