Produce collection is up, but not like we expected

Gardeners and other charitable souls contributed 41,652 pounds of fresh produce to area food banks and pantries in response to the Plant a Row for the Hungry campaign.

That's 890 pounds more than last year's total of 40,762 pounds, despite a growing season that some farmers called the worst in recent memory.

That's shy of the goal we'd set for this year - to gather 45,000 pounds - but that was before we knew last year's wacky weather would continue to get wackier.

If it wasn't too cold for the season, it was unseasonably hot. When it came to rain, it was feast or famine, neither of which is good for growing things.

Still, each and every item that was donated was distributed to families in the area who had difficulty making ends meet.

At the Aurora Area Interfaith Pantry, 3,091 pounds of fresh fruit and vegetable donations were bagged and passed out this summer to the 85 to 100 families who visited the pantry every day, executive director Dorothy Schwartz said.

"We've never had any complaints and we've never had anybody turn it down," she said.

Clients are consistently grateful, surprised by the unexpected addition to their allotment and appreciative of the food that isn't canned or frozen.

"These are things they cannot afford to buy," Schwartz said. "They're getting something that they can't afford, is healthy and nutritious, and a treat."

There's been a demonstrable increase in requests for food assistance over the past year, and those numbers continue to rise.

Northern Illinois Food Bank in St. Charles, which distributes food to social service agencies in 12 counties, distributed 10.5 million pounds of food during the fiscal year that ended in July. That's an increase of 1.9 million pounds over the prior year, assistant executive director Mary Hayes said.

And those who work in social services expect the need will continue to grow.

Schaumburg Township food pantry averaged about 175 families a month in 2001. This August, they helped 294 families and that's become a pretty consistent pattern.

Clients "shop" in the nonperishable foods section and are allowed to fill two grocery bags with items. When they're done, they are then asked to take any produce they desire from whatever's been donated through Plant a Row for the Hungry. And that's usually a lot.

This year alone, the pantry received 1,902 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables, the vast majority of which was grown and harvested by the Schaumburg Garden Club.

"Having the fresh produce has been extremely helpful," said Sandy Wolf, director of welfare services.

With the sharp increase in requests, the available supply of goods is stretched to capacity.

"As quickly as things come in, they go out," she said.

Adding up the donated produce

Food pantries and drop-sites reported the following donations for the 2002 Plant A Row for the Hungry campaign, sponsored locally by the Daily Herald.

Some donations, such as those donated through the Harvest in the Park celebration in September, are not included in this list.

Loaves and Fishes, Naperville, 12,421 pounds

Aurora Area Interfaith Pantry, Aurora, 3,091 pounds

Northern Illinois Food Bank, St. Charles, 2,885 pounds

FISH, Carpentersville, 2,858 pounds

Batavia Interfaith, Batavia, 2,067 pounds

Schaumburg Township, Hoffman Estates, 1,902 pounds

Knupper Nursery, Palatine, 1,172 pounds

Woodstock Pantry, Woodstock, 1,128 pounds

Barrington Township, Barrington, 1,033 pounds

Willow Creek, Hoffman Estates, 931 pounds

Bensenville-Wood Dale, Bensenville, 925 pounds

Palatine Township, Palatine, 773 pounds

Bloomingdale Township, Bloomingdale, 733 pounds

People's Resource Center, Wheaton, 700 pounds

Warren Township, Gurnee, 693 pounds

Hanover Township, Bartlett, 671 pounds

COOL, Waukegan, 596 pounds

York Township, Lombard, 576 pounds

Wheeling Township, Arlington Heights, 576 pounds

Self Help Pantry, Des Plaines, 540 pounds

Lisle Township, Lisle, 492 pounds

Elk Grove Township, Arlington Heights, 458 pounds

Libertyville Township, Libertyville, 452 pounds

Lutheran Church of the Master, Carol Stream, 390 pounds

Wayne Township, West Chicago, 348 pounds

Cuba Township, Barrington, 291 pounds

Grant Township, Ingleside, 282 pounds

Resurrection Church, Wayne, 262 pounds

Grafton Township, Huntley, 231 pounds

St. Mary of Vernon Church, Vernon Hills, 204 pounds

Salvation Army, Oakbrook Terrace, 194 pounds

Meadows Community Services, Rolling Meadows, 145 pounds

Glen Ellyn Pantry, Glen Ellyn, 143 pounds

Cary-Grove Food Bank, Cary, 135 pounds

Chicagoland Gardening, Downers Grove, 122 pounds

CEDA, Mount Prospect, 109 pounds

Crystal Lake Pantry, Crystal Lake, 103 pounds

Avon Township, Round Lake Park, 93 pounds

Interfaith Pantry, Elgin, 25 pounds

Maine Township, Des Plaines, 16 pounds

St. Alphonsus, Prospect Heights, 5 pounds