Businesses hold food drives for Antioch Traveling Closet

Because of the COVID-19 outbreak and restrictions imposed on public gatherings, the Antioch Traveling Closet has been forced to change its focus this year.

The not-for-profit charitable organization has grown famous for holding three events each year at which needy area residents are able to select clothing and toiletries and even get a haircut, all at no charge. Since gatherings such as these have been temporarily put on hold, the ATC is now concentrating on the collection and distribution throughout the summer of nonperishable food items to families encountering difficult times.

The ATC has been directly collecting these food items, but now two local businesses have decided to pitch in and hold food drives of their own for the benefit of the ATC.

Financial Adviser Kira Cole has announced that the Edward Jones office in Antioch will be sponsoring one of these food drives. A contact-free drop-off box will be outside of Edward Jones at 921 Main St., across the street from The Vegas Cafe, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday this summer. For a list of needed nonperishable items or for related questions, call (847)-603-1017 and ask for Maria.

The Limerick Lounge will hold a drive-through food donation drop-off event at 912 Toft Ave. in Antioch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, June 28. Donors will receive a 10 percent off coupon redeemable for meals at the Limerick Lounge.

Among the items requested are peanut butter and jelly (in plastic jars), crackers, preserved fruit items (e.g., raisins, prunes, dehydrated apricots, etc.), canned goods, ramen noodles and other pasta items, cereal and more.

Also welcomed are toiletries such as unopened bottles of shampoo, bar soap, deodorant and disinfectant wipes. Gift cards for area businesses such as Aldi, Walmart, CVS, gas stations, etc. are also welcome.

For a more complete list of desired items, readers can contact Edward Jones or the Limerick Lounge, or visit the ATC website, antiochtravelingcloset.org. Tax deductible cash donations can also be made at the website.

Finally, a special thanks from the ATC goes out to the sock manufacturer and distributor Bombas, which has donated its world-renowned product to the ATC for the last three years.

This year, Bombas recently gave the ATC 3,250 pairs of socks for future distribution, which will greatly help the ATC in its goal of helping the area's needy residents "two feet at a time."