Loaves and Fishes picks new director

What started as volunteer work at the Loaves and Fishes Community Pantry of Naperville has turned into a full-time job for Charles McLimans.

The pantry, which serves about 1,600 families in need, announced Friday that it has chosen McLimans as its new executive director.

"I'm very excited to be working with such a fine and well-respected organization and I feel it's a great blessing and great opportunity to do good in the community," he said.

McLimans has been serving as interim executive director for the past four months along with board of directors member Sandy Forty. He replaces Joanne Mitrenga, who is now with the DuPage Community Foundation.

Loaves and Fishes, 556 W. 5th Ave., is a community-run food pantry operated primarily by volunteers. Last year, the pantry distributed one million pounds of food.

When McLimans moved to Naperville two years ago and was looking for a place to volunteer, his sister suggested Loaves and Fishes and his relationship with the organization has continued to grow.

"I think it really is very gratifying to … be able to go home at end of the day and even though we work hard here and work (in) a volunteer-run organization, it's gratifying to see the outpouring of all of the care that comes from community," he said.

McLimans previously has served as executive director of the Sunny and Abe Rosenberg Foundation in New York. For the past two years he has provided grant writing and consulting services to not-for-profit organizations.

Tom Kallay, president of the board of directors, praised the work McLimans and Forty have done running the pantry over the past few months.

"We are extremely pleased to keep this momentum going by retaining someone of Charles' caliber leading Loaves and Fishes as we strive to meet the ever-growing challenges of providing food to needy members of our community in this uncertain economic climate," Kallay said in a press release.

That uncertain climate has caused government commodities to be cut by about 20 percent while food costs are up by about one-third, according to McLimans.

But the community can help through donations of food, money or time.

"The donations of food from the community have continued to pour in at a steady rate and … cash donations are always good for us as well because we're able to turn $1 into $5 of food," he said.

For more information on Loaves and Fishes, call (630) 355-3663.