Aurora Noon Lions learn about Northern Illinois Food Bank
57 million.
That's how many meals Northern Illinois Food Bank, 273 Dearborn Court in Geneva, supplied to northern Illinois food pantries in 2015.
Brandon Pettigrew, the food bank communications specialist, outlined the nonprofit's operations for Aurora Noon Lions Club members Monday, Jan. 18. The service club held its biweekly luncheon meeting at Luigi's Pizza in Aurora.
According to Pettigrew, the bank acquires, stores and distributes millions of pounds of food monthly to 800 feeding programs, including food pantries, across 13 counties - Kane, Kendall, Will, DuPage, DeKalb, Boone, Kankakee, Lake, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson and Will.
Pantries served include Aurora Area Interfaith and Marie Wilkinson food pantries in Aurora.
Additionally, the bank provides meals directly to hungry children through after-school and summer meals, and a backpack program.
The mobile pantry, a food pantry on wheels, distributes meat, produce, bread and nonperishable food to 200 families in underserved areas over 400 times a year.
In addition to its Geneva center, other bank centers are in Park City and Rockford and an office is in Joliet.
Pettigrew, a Naperville resident, said "Nearly 600,000 people each year in our 13-county service area rely on Northern Illinois Food Bank and our network of partner food pantries and feeding programs.
"While in FY14 Northern Illinois Food Bank provided the equivalent of 50 million meals to our hungry neighbors, the sad fact is it's not nearly enough."
He reported that each year hungry neighbors are at risk of skipping 70 million meals.
The reason: they don't have enough food for three meals per day.
To fill this meal gap, Pettigrew said, the bank recently announced a strategic plan with a goal of bringing the number of meals distributed by Northern Illinois Food Bank and its network to 75 million annually by the year 2020.
Pettigrew said the public can help by donating food, funds and volunteers. Each $1 donated buys $8 in food.
Volunteers are sought for "Full on Faith," Feb. 22-27, a weeklong effort in which volunteers will sort, label and pack food at its three centers for neighbors in need.
Individuals or groups up to 50, including children, 8 or older, are welcome to participate.
Food bank speakers are available by appointment at places of worship to educate congregation or leaders on the issues of hunger in communities. Monetary and food donations are also welcome.
The Geneva-based bank belongs to Feeding America, a Chicago-based nationwide network of 200 food banks founded in 1981.
Feeding America is the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization.
For more information, call (630) 443-6910, ext. 176, or visit solvehungertoday.org.