Daily Herald opinion: Pantry's forward strides are good news, but the need is growing in the suburbs

It was inspiring to read recently about Glen Ellyn Food Pantry opening a new location near Roosevelt Road.

After operating for decades at Grace Lutheran Church in downtown Glen Ellyn, the nonprofit needed more room. So, it launched a fundraising campaign to transform a nearly 100-year-old former parsonage next to Faith Lutheran Church into a new headquarters for the food pantry.

Despite the pandemic, the pantry exceeded its goal and raised more than $900,000 for the expansion project.

Now, the pantry can serve more people because it has a larger, dedicated building.

That is the good news. Because, sadly, hunger is a real problem in the suburbs. And pantries across DuPage County are struggling to keep up with a high demand for food.

As senior writer Katlyn Smith pointed out in a Sept. 30 article, high inflation continues to hit families in the pocketbook. And federal assistance programs that used to be readily available during the pandemic have been scaled back or ended altogether.

The Glen Ellyn Food Pantry alone has served more than 300 new families since the start of the year.

“Part of it is a lot of the benefits that were in place during COVID, the stimulus checks, the SNAP benefits, and the increased SNAP benefits, all those have gone away," Laura Glaza, the pantry's executive director, told Smith. "… but unfortunately, prices at the grocery store and other places are higher, so it's made it really difficult for people."

According to DuPage officials, there has been a 65% increase in the number of households using food pantries that partner with Northern Illinois Food Bank, which serves a 13-county region that includes Kane, Will, McHenry, Lake, and DuPage counties.

The county government in DuPage is doing its part to try to help.

Previously, the DuPage County Board allocated $5 million in federal pandemic relief funds to assist food pantries and organizations serving the needs of residents experiencing food insecurity.

As part of the dedicated effort, county board members approved $1 million in grants in August to help shore up food pantry infrastructure. Those grant dollars will help food pantries purchase refrigerators, shelving, freezers or other capital needs.

Similar support will likely continue next year.

In her proposed budget for the next fiscal year, county board Chairwoman Deborah Conroy wants to assist hungry families by using an additional $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds.

"We will focus on expanding partnerships that deliver fresh produce directly to local food pantries," Conroy said.

We applaud DuPage officials for taking action. But it is worth remembering that food pantries rely strongly on volunteers and private donations.

Local food pantries and the people they serve can use our help. If you are in a position to donate items or make a cash donation, it will help keep food on the shelves.