Where to help in the Fox Valley
There are numerous locations in the Fox Valley where you can help replenish local food banks. They most need: boxes of dry spaghetti, 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.
Here is a list of some of the places where you can contribute.
Algonquin
• Algonquin/Lake in the Hills Food Pantry, 600 E. Oak St., Algonquin. Hours: Tuesday & Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to noon; first and third Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to noon. (847) 854-1904.
Carpentersville
• FISH Pantry, 150 S. Kennedy Drive. Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. (847) 428-4357.
Cary
• Cary Grove Food Pantry, 8901 S. Cary-Algonquin Road, Cary. Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 4 to 6 p.m.; first and third Saturday, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. (847) 516-3602.
Crystal Lake
• Crystal Lake Food Pantry, 257 King St. Hours: Monday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon. (815) 455-0961.
• Crystal Lake Salvation Army, 290 W. Crystal Lake Ave.
Elgin
Food pantries and soup kitchens in Elgin are at crisis level, so the number of places where you can drop off donations has grown.
• Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce, 31 S. Grove Ave.
• Elgin City Employees Credit Union, 1151 Lillian St.
• 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.
• 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 Pkwy.
Huntley
• Grafton Township pantry, 10109 Vine St., Huntley. Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 1 to 4 p.m.
South Elgin
• South Elgin Food Pantry, 400 W. Spring St.
Next week
Beginning Dec. 1, items will be accepted at the following National City Bank locations: 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; 1300 Route 47, Huntley; 835 S. Randall Road, Elgin; and 390 S. Eighth St., West Dundee.