Shortages in Elgin area food pantries reaching crisis level

If the faltering economy has a trickle-down effect, then Elgin area social service agencies must be wondering when the deluge will end.

"Crisis" and "desperate" were two words officials at food pantries used to describe their situation Thursday.

The Salvation Army in Elgin has launched its largest food drive since the 1960s and plans to secure at least 20 spots in and around Elgin where folks can donate food, said Major Ken Nicolai.

He added that pantry shelves are bare and staff members had to turn away 20 to 30 families seeking assistance this week as calls for help have jumped 90 percent.

"As far as food collections, we haven't done anything like were we're doing now in at least 40 years," Nicolai said. "We need large supplies of food. There's a lot of people getting laid off and (work) hours cut. It's a real tough time for people right now. We need as much food as we can right away."

Nicolai said demand has been so great that the cash donations through the traditional bell ringers won't last past Christmas.

"We'll have nothing for January and February at the rate we're going now," he said. "The food situation is very serious."

The United Way of Elgin held a food drive over the summer to help local pantries, but the agency is again asking people to contribute food anywhere they can.

"We thought it would last through at least Thanksgiving and maybe Christmas. But that's just not happening," said Lynne Bosley, United Way of Elgin's executive director.

The city of Elgin on Thursday also announced its own food drive. City spokeswoman Sue Olafson said the city normally has an internal food drive for employees but expanded it this year to help the community.

The Northern Illinois Food Bank, which distributes food broadly to local pantries, soup kitchens and shelters, also has seen a sharp rise in demand.

Dennis Smith, the food bank's executive director, said 782,944 pounds of food was distributed in Kane County from July 1 through Oct. 31 of this year. That's a 24-percent jump from the 628,457 doled out during the same time in 2008.

"Every single (agency) is up against it. There are so many people who need help," Smith said. "Some of the people using the pantries are some of the people who donated to pantries before. People who have been able to help are now in need of help."

Jim Mosby is coordinator of the Friday night soup kitchen at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, one of seven Elgin churches that make up the Elgin Cooperative Ministry.

Mosby said the kitchen uses church donations to buy food from the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Volunteers also have a network of restaurants and donors to help.

The church's Friday dinners serve between 60 to 80 people, and Mosby has not seen a sharp rise - yet.

"As things get worse and people become more aware of us, people in the neighborhoods will probably walk over and have dinner," he said.

How to help:

There are numerous locations in Elgin and the Fox Valley where you can help replenish local food banks. They are in most need of: spaghetti noodles, spaghetti sauce, white rice in one-pound bags or boxes, pinto beans, macaroni and cheese, canned spaghetti or ravioli, chili, beef stew, tuna, ramen noodles, pork and beans, canned fruit, canned vegetables, crackers, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, oatmeal, powdered milk and hand can openers.

For details or to make a cash donation, visit northernilfoodbank.org.

Some Elgin locations are:

• Centro de Informacion, 28 N. Grove Ave.

• Community Crisis Center, 37 S. Geneva St.

• Salvation Army, 316 Douglas Ave.

• Two Rivers Head Start, 620 Wing St.

• All People's Interfaith Food Pantry at the First Congregational Church, 256 E. Chicago St.

• Lighthouse Community Church pantry, 325 South St.

• Elgin City Hall lobby, 150 Dexter Court

• The Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way

• United Way of Elgin, 2022 Larkin Ave.

• Or Elgin Fire stations at: 550 Summit St.; 650 Big Timber Road; 2455 Royal Ave.; 599 S. McLean Blvd., 804 Villa St.; 707 W. Chicago St., 3270 Long Common Parkway.

Also, beginning Dec. 1, items will be accepted at these sites:

• National City Bank locations at 791 S. Randall Road, South Elgin; 2429 Randall Road, Carpentersville; 543 E. Main St., East Dundee; 28 N. Grove Ave., Elgin; 1695 Larkin Ave., Elgin; 850 Meacham Road, Elk Grove Village; 1300 Route 47, Huntley; 606 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg; 2425 W. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg;

835 S. Randall Road, Elgin; and 390 S. Eighth St., West Dundee.

• Custom Aluminum, 540 W. Division St., South Elgin

• The Courier News, 300 Lake St., Elgin