Donations needed for West Suburban Community Pantry’s summer meals program as family visits rise 20%

West Suburban Community Pantry, which serves 1,000 families in DuPage and Will counties every week, is launching a Summer Meals Campaign to fill the food gap families face as their children are out of school for summer.

The campaign is meant to raise funds to provide additional groceries, meals and snacks to families during the summer months.

“Summer should be a time of growth and adventure, but for too many children it is the hungriest time of year,” says West Suburban Community Pantry CEO Maeven Sipes. “In our community, one in four children rely on free or reduced school meals. Many count on school to provide both breakfast and lunch. Some may even get backpacks of food for weekend meals. When school cafeterias close for the summer, children and their parents don’t know where those meals will come from.”

Children make up 35% of those individuals who receive food through West Suburban Community Pantry in Woodridge.

During the summer, without access to school meals, families will stretch already limited budgets to afford groceries to fill the food gap. As food costs rise, and support programs face cuts, families depend on WSCP even more. Visits to the Pantry for food assistance have increased by nearly 20% over last year.

According to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, more than 1 million households in Illinois rely on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) to make ends meet.

The proposed federal budget currently being considered by Congress includes a 30% cut to SNAP benefits. Research shows that about 89% of SNAP benefits are exhausted by the third week of the month, proving that current benefits are insufficient to meet participants’ nutritional needs.

Any cuts will result in greater numbers of families turning to the Pantry for help. This makes the need for donor support even more critical through the summer months and entering the fall.

“West Suburban Community Pantry remains steadfast in our commitment to serving children and families in need, even as the need grows,” Sipes said. “The Summer Meals Campaign, and the generous donors who support it will help children enjoy a summer break filled with the nutritious food they need to thrive and help prepare the Pantry to serve increased demand in the coming months.”

For information on nutritional and social services support provided by West Suburban Community Pantry, or to participate in the Summer Meals Campaign, visit wscpantry.org/summer-appeal-2025.