Des Plaines stores to collect food for Catholic Charities
Des Plaines businesses are joining with Catholic Charities’ Northwest Region office to impact suburban hunger in September, which is National Hunger Action Month.
Through Sunday, Sept. 30, Walgreens stores at 21 Rand, 1858 E. Oakton, 1378 Miner, and 17 W. Golf, will provide in-store collection bins for customers to drop off nonperishable food items for Catholic Charities’ Des Plaines Food Pantry, which serves the entire North/Northwest area.
On Friday, Sept. 14, a special collection will take place in front of the Sam’s Club, 101 W. Oakton. Thanks to Des Plaines-based business, Two Men and a Truck, Sam’s Club customers will be encouraged to bring nonperishable food donations to the truck as they finish shopping.
The public is also encouraged to drop food or monetary donations at Catholic Charities’ Northwest Region Office, 1717 Rand Road, in Des Plaines, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or call Mary Insprucker, regional director, at (847) 376-2118.
According to Feeding America, one in six of the U.S. population, including more than one in five children, face hunger. Every September, Catholic Charities calls attention to this chronic problem by participating in Hunger Action Month, a national initiative sponsored by Feeding America.
In 2007, just over 3,000 households utilized the Catholic Charities Des Plaines Food Pantry. In 2011, that number jumped to over 6,000 households.
“The current economic conditions have food pantries hurting nationwide trying to keep up with the demand for food,” said Mary Insprucker, Catholic Charities’ Northwest regional director. “Hunger action is not just a call to action for the Des Plaines area, or Illinois. It is a call to all Americans to step up to the plate, so others can fill theirs with food.”
Your tax-deductible dollar goes farther when you give to Catholic Charities because the charity staff shops at food banks to stock its pantries. For example, in 2011, it received $10 worth of food for every $1 we spent at the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Whether you are an individual or a corporation, you can be a hunger hero in your community. For information about how to donate, contact Mary Insprucker, at (847) 376-2118, or minsprucker@catholiccharities.net.
Catholic Charities Northwest Region Office is located at 1717 Rand Road, in Des Plaines. The office serves the communities of: Barrington, Bartlett, Hanover Park, Dundee, Palatine, Inverness, Rolling Meadows, Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Prospect Heights, Wheeling, Mount Prospect, Des Plaines, Harwood Heights, Schiller Park, Franklin Park, Elgin, Elk Grove Village, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Streamwood. For information about the Northwest Region Office, call (847) 376-2100.