FISH Food Pantry hopes grants will cover costs of expansion

Local FISH Food Pantry volunteers are counting on grants to help pay some of the costs to renovate a larger unit in the Meadowdale Shopping Center.

The first of the grant proposals went out this month, said Mary Graziano, FISH president. Others will follow.

"We're asking for grants for any place that will consider us," she said. "We'll be contacting private and public foundations. We're hoping that they agree with our need."

Each month, FISH gives food to hundreds of low-income families, or thousands of people, living in Carpentersville, East and West Dundee, Sleepy Hollow and portions of rural Algonquin. It has outgrown its current site in the Route 25 shopping center.

The move would only be across a hallway, but it would be a big step in meeting the demand for more space the pantry needs.

For example, because the current pantry is small, the coolers and freezers are small, as are the packing, waiting and interviewing areas.

In past Christmases, volunteers could not promise clients hams and turkeys for the holiday dinners because of lack of space. Last week, many clients did not receive hams for Easter because of lack of space and availability.

Volunteers have also started talking to an architect about drafting renovations plans for the new locations.

"We're still in the information gathering stage," Graziano said. "We haven't put a dollar amount on the grants we want. We'll take what we can get. Hopefully, with grants and private donations, we'll be able to pay the bills for the move. We are still trying to determine how much the project will cost."

Graziano and her team of volunteers want to be in the new location in fall, the beginning of one of their busy seasons. Aside from the holidays, summer has become a high-demand time for FISH. Students are off from school, and they are not receiving the free government-subsidized breakfasts and lunches.

The school year is not the only element that creates demand for free food. Volunteers have seen an increase in clients because of the mild winter. Snowless months mean no plowing jobs for landscapers who have been laid off from their jobs.

"We're hoping for a warm spring, so landscaping jobs start early," she said.

Then, many clients will begin receiving paychecks until the fall.

The pantry is open from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Monday Wednesday and Friday and 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday. For information, call the pantry at (847) 428-4357.