Food pantry appreciates when gardeners lend a hand

On the rare occasions when the Helping Hands Food Pantry gets fresh produce for its clients, it's usually right in the middle of winter.

And what they get most frequently then is bagged, pre-washed lettuce donated by area grocers.

Truly fresh vegetables are rarely seen at the pantry that serves more than 350 families each month from Antioch, Fox Lake, Round Lake and Spring Grove.

Just the thought of having garden bounty to distribute to families in need thrills pantry director Gene Cramer, whose site is spending its first year in the Giving Garden program.

In fact, there are nine new locations this summer across five counties where gardeners can drop off the fruits and vegetables they've grown to donate to neighbors who are less fortunate.

Those sites new to the Giving Garden this year - and those that could use a boost from gardeners - include:

Antioch

Open Arms Mission

1548 S. Main St., Route 83; (847) 395-0309; 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

• Clients: 780 families per month on average

• Region served: Antioch, Antioch Township, Lake Villa, Lake Villa Township and Lindenhurst

Aurora

Growing Place Nursery

2000 Montgomery Road; (630) 820-8088; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to noon Friday.

• Nursery employees will take produce delivered to the garden center to one of several area Giving Garden food pan-tries.

Elburn

Elburn Food Pantry

525 N. Main St.; (630) 365-6655; 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday.

• Clients: 80 families per month

• Region served: Kaneland School District

Lake Villa

Lake Villa Township

37908 N. Fairfield Road; (847) 356-2116; 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

• Clients: 58 families per month on average

• Region served: Lake Villa, Lindenhurst and Round Lake communities

Lake Zurich

St. Francis de Sales Parish

277 S. Buesching; (847) 975-7683; 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday; 5 to 6 p.m. Sunday.

• Clients: 240 families per month

• Region served: Ela Town-ship

Mundelein

Santa Maria del Popolo

116 N. Lake St. (basement); (847) 949-8300; 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday

• Clients: 60 to 70 families per month

• Region served: Mundelein and Libertyville

Naperville

Growing Place Nursery

25W471 Plank Road; (630) 355-4000; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to noon Friday.

• Nursery employees will take produce delivered to the garden center to one of several area Giving Garden food pan-tries.

Spring Grove

Helping Hands Food Pantry

2502 Spring Ridge Drive; (847) 973-0207; 4 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday

• Clients: 350 families per month on average

• Region served: Antioch, Fox Lake, Round Lake and Spring Grove

Wheaton

Milton Township

1492 N. Main St.; (630) 668-1616; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday

• Clients: More than 500 people per month on average

• Region served: Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Lombard and Wheaton