Good Shepherd Hospital drive collecting items to help fill local food pantries

Submitted by Good Shepherd Hospital

Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital is conducting a food drive from Nov. 10-17. Food collected will benefit these food pantries: Barrington Township, Cuba Township, Cary, Crystal Lake Interfaith, Algonquin/LITH, Grafton Township, Lake Zurich/Ela Township, and Wauconda-Island Lake.

Food items most needed are: beverages including canned juice, drink mixes, evaporated milk, hot chocolate, juice boxes, coffee, tea bags; canned foods including chicken, oranges, mixed fruit, pears, peaches, hash, ravioli, spaghetti, Spam, tomato products, tuna fish, corn, peas; boxed items including beans, breakfast cereal, Hamburger Helper, mashed potatoes, noodle side dishes, rice side dishes; and other items including flour in 1 or 5 lbs. bags, jelly, noodles, peanut butter, saltine crackers, dry spaghetti, sugar in 1 or 5 lbs. packages, vegetable oil; personal care items including bar soap, diapers in larger sizes, feminine hygiene products, facial tissue, laundry soap, shampoo, toilet paper.

Good Shepherd Hospital encourages members of the community and hospital staff to donate to the 2011 Fall food drive. Items can be dropped off at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, 450 W. Route 22, Barrington.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's annual study measuring food security in the United States, the number of Americans living in food insecure homes topped 50 million in 2009, the most recent year that such data is available. Along with that data, the percentage of people living below the poverty level in McHenry County is 6.6 percent and Lake County is 7.6 percent, 2009 data.

“This food drive is our way of giving back. We know that many people in our local communities are in need. We want to help and to also give others the chance to help out this holiday season,” said the Rev. Fred Rajan, vice president, mission and spiritual care, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital.