Self-Help Closet benefits from 'Food Fight'

Imagine a real food fight.

Tomatoes and eggs flying. People drenched in flour and cake.

Andrea Friedman agrees that does sound like fun. But it's not the intent of the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce & Industry's annual Food Fight now in its seventh year, said Friedman, chamber program director.

Rather, the purpose is to collect food supplies for the Self-Help Closet and Food Pantry of Des Plaines, which serves roughly 800 families each month.

"We don't want to waste any of the food throwing it at each other," Friedman said. "We'd rather give it to the pantry."

During February, eight community groups collected 7,958 pounds of food and $200 in donations - that's 3,000 pounds more food than was collected in 2008.

The Rotary Club of Des Plaines won the 2009 challenge with 3,213 pounds of food.

Friedman said it's the most food the event has collected. Organizers weren't sure how the economy would affect this year's donations.

"We wouldn't necessarily have been surprised if it had (gone down) even though the need has increased," Friedman said. "To bring in almost 8,000 pounds of food to me is pretty incredible."

Participating groups included: Bethesda Worship Center (100 pounds); Des Plaines Camera Club (100 pounds); Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce & Industry (600 pounds plus a $200 donation); Des Plaines Garden Club (200 pounds); Des Plaines Public Library Board (465 pounds); Diplomat of Des Plaines (245 pounds) and the Kiwanis Club of Des Plaines (3,035 pounds).