Naperville food pantry moving into new home

Naperville's Loaves & Fishes Community Pantry is preparing to move into its new food distribution center and inviting the public to the grand opening ceremony.

Festivities will begin with a ribbon-cutting at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 5, at the new pantry at 1871 High Grove Lane and food distribution for the first clients will follow immediately. Tours of the 16,884-square-foot facility will be available from 1 to 5 p.m. that day.

Community Relations Director Jody Bender said the new facility more than doubles the capacity of Loaves & Fishes existing rented site on West Fifth Avenue. The additional space will allow the group to offer a larger distribution center for its core food programs stocked with a wider variety of items during longer hours of operation.

In addition, the agency will debut its inaugural Pathways to Empowerment programs designed to help clients achieve self-sufficiency by addressing the root causes of hunger. Officials say on-site partnerships and collaborations with local and regional community organizations and businesses will provide a convenient and holistic approach to client care.

Founded in 1984, Loaves & Fishes incorporated in 1991. Officials said the agency served 5,490 people in December, including 365 single moms, 661 seniors and 2,279 children.

For details on the new center, visit www.loaves-fishes.org.