Geneva church volunteers work to reduce hunger in the community
Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva has had a long-standing commitment to addressing hunger in our communities.
Did you know?
• Northern Illinois Food Bank has seen a 66% increase in need over pre-pandemic levels.
• The Aurora Soup Kitchen weekly "Sandwich Board" has seen the need for lunches nearly triple, from 115 to 300.
• Lazarus House provides about 100 meals per day, as well as housing and case management services, to nearly 140 individuals in their program.
Currently, these important community programs face two main challenges.
A reduction in SNAP benefits of up to $200/month per household, as of March 2023. One Northern Illinois Food Bank client noted that she now has only $57 per month left to spend on food, leaving her to rely almost solely on food pantries.
Inflation has brought strain to lower-income families and has caused a drop in donations as individuals and corporate donors tighten their budgets.
Northern Illinois Food Bank shares Ellen's story, a volunteer and former client. An excerpt:
"I was a single mom. I was working full-time but still not making enough. It was either food or bills." Ellen's experience with the food bank not only gave her the confidence to provide for her family but also inspired her to give back to her community. As she explains, "As well as being helped, I needed to help." Ellen became a volunteer at the HCS Pantry in Hinsdale and helped open a new food pantry in Willowbrook. She credits the food bank with giving her the self-confidence to move forward and help others. "Donors and volunteers are so much more important than they think they are," she says. "Please keep doing it. Please share it with your family and your friends. Invite them to come and help. Invite them to be a part of being this place that helps our neighbors."
To see more stories from the Northern Illinois Food Bank, visit their website, www.solvehungertoday.org.
How can you help?
Church members will volunteer at Northern Illinois Food Bank from 9 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of each month. Join them in packing food and having fun! The next date will be Saturday, July 8.
To sign up, go to uusg.org/food-bank-signup or contact Kevin Beyer at foodbankleader@uusg.org.
Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva supports the "Sandwich Board" by donating snack bars, cookies, and bottled water once a month for six months out of the year. The next date will be Thursdays, June 22 and July 27, and they still need volunteers. You can shop for needed items and drop them off at either Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva, 102 S. Second St., or Trinity Episcopal Church, 218 E. Benton St. in Aurora, or you can donate cash.
It costs about $250 a month to provide enough items for 300 lunches. For anyone who would like to shop but not incur the cost, reimbursement is available through the church office. To sign up, visit www.uusg.org/soup-kitchen. For more information, contact Sherry Wilson at office@uusg.org.
The church supports Lazarus House by providing 40 lunches, 60 dinners, and an overnight volunteer on the first Saturday of each month. They still need three volunteers for Saturday, July 1. Reimbursement is available through the church office. To sign up, visit www.uusg.org/hope-for-the-homeless2. For more information, contact Page Poris at office@uusg.org.