The Chapel-Libertyville distributes food for 500 needy families

Cars lined southbound Lewis Avenue for nearly half a mile as volunteers from The Chapel-Libertyville distributed food for 500 families in North Chicago on Saturday.

Approximately 20 volunteers loaded boxes and bags of food into cars as they pulled into a parking lot between city hall and the Foss Park District Community Center.

Recipients started gathering at the parking lot of Paris Banquets at 8 a.m., and when the distribution started two hours later, the line stretched the five blocks between the two points, and around the parking lot of the banquet hall.

Robert Crawford of The Libertyville Chapel Mobile Food Pantry said the organization normally works in conjunction with the Northern Illinois Food Bank to distribute food to 150 families at the monthly event.

A greater need has developed due to job losses related to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the distribution of food for 500 families.

“With the COVID-19 situation the need in North Chicago and the surrounding suburbs has just grown exponentially,” Crawford said, adding he hopes the food bank will be able to keep up with the increased need and that the church will serve as many people as possible.

North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham Jr. said his community was appreciative of the effort.

“This is a great way to make sure that those that have been laid off or have been furloughed from their jobs have the food necessary for their families,” Rockingham Jr. said.

Crawford said donations can be made to the Northern Illinois Food Bank at solvehungertoday.org.