Cars line up during the Northern Illinois Food Bank’s 27th year of the Holiday Meal Box program Saturday at Elgin Community College in Elgin. The program provides families across Northern Illinois with the ingredients for a traditional holiday meal serving six to eight people, at no cost. (Brian Hill/Daily Herald)
Cars lined up hours early at Elgin Community College Saturday as volunteers passed out holiday meal boxes and turkeys to about 900 families.
Now in its 27th year, the Northern Illinois Food Bank Holiday Meal Box program provides families with the ingredients to prepare a holiday meal for six to eight people at no cost.
NIFB partnered with Food for Greater Elgin for Saturday’s distribution.
“This is great that we are able to help fill the need,” said Jim Douglas of Batavia, who was volunteering for the third year.
Volunteers began packing the boxes in early October, preparing them for distribution through local food pantries and designated NIFB mobile and pop-up distribution sites in November and December.
The food bank said they’ll distribute 50,000 meal boxes this holiday season.
“With many families continuing to face high costs for food and other essentials, our Holiday Meal Box program helps make sure our neighbors can celebrate the season with a special meal around the table,” said Julie Yurko, president and CEO of Northern Illinois Food Bank, in a news release.
Each meal box includes about 15 pounds of dry goods, including stuffing, gravy, corn, green beans, dry pinto beans, dry potatoes, cream of mushroom soup, white rice, canned fruit, cranberry sauce, hot cocoa and dessert mix.
Throughout the distribution season, boxes will come with either a whole turkey, turkey breast or ham to complete a holiday meal, depending on the distribution location.
Three more distribution pop-ups are scheduled in the coming weeks, including at Joliet Junior College on Nov. 14, Rockford’s Neighborhood Market on Nov. 15 and Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep in Lake County on Nov. 19.
Food distribution sites can be found by checking the food finder map at SolveHungerToday.org/GetGroceries.
rwest@dailyherald.com
bhill@dailyherald.com
Jim Douglas of Batavia grabs a turkey for a client during the Northern Illinois Food Bank’s 27th year of the Holiday Meal Box program Saturday at Elgin Community College in Elgin. The program provides families across Northern Illinois with the ingredients for a traditional holiday meal serving six to eight people, at no cost. (Brian Hill/Daily Herald)
Volunteers distribute food during the Northern Illinois Food Bank’s 27th year of the Holiday Meal Box program Saturday at Elgin Community College in Elgin. The program provides families across Northern Illinois with the ingredients for a traditional holiday meal serving six to eight people, at no cost. (Brian Hill/Daily Herald)
Food sits ready to load during the Northern Illinois Food Bank’s 27th year of the Holiday Meal Box program Saturday at Elgin Community College in Elgin. The program provides families across Northern Illinois with the ingredients for a traditional holiday meal serving six to eight people, at no cost. (Brian Hill/Daily Herald)
Cars are lined up as volunteers distribute food during the Northern Illinois Food Bank’s 27th year of the Holiday Meal Box program Saturday at Elgin Community College in Elgin. The program provides families across Northern Illinois with the ingredients for a traditional holiday meal serving six to eight people, at no cost. (Brian Hill/Daily Herald)
Cars wait to pick up food during the Northern Illinois Food Bank’s 27th year of the Holiday Meal Box program Saturday at Elgin Community College in Elgin. (Brian Hill/Daily Herald)
Stephanie Opperthauser of Elgin, grabs a box of food to distribute during the Northern Illinois Food Bank’s 27th year of the Holiday Meal Box program Saturday at Elgin Community College in Elgin. The program provides families across Northern Illinois with the ingredients for a traditional holiday meal serving six to eight people, at no cost. (Brian Hill/Daily Herald)