Northbrook drive-in donation event benefits Northfield Township food pantry

A drive-by food drop off outside the Northbrook Senior Center Jan. 13 had the two-pronged benefit of giving people who use the facility a chance to see one another, while also benefiting the Northfield Township Food Pantry.

The senior center has been closed since Nov. 13 due the most recent shutdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and many who use the facility haven't seen one another since, Recreation Supervisor Laura Wassinger said.

"My seniors were really distressed because we had really built up a pretty active bingo in here, with the proper numbers, and so they were all feeling kind of sorry for themselves, understandably." Wassinger said. "And I thought, 'what can we do to get people out so they can see people but do it safely?'"

Aware that the food pantry was in need of donations, Wassinger came up with the idea for the drive-by food drop-off, and placed an article in the senior center newsletter. Whitehall of Deerfield sponsored the event.

Six volunteers were present to accept the donations, which included boxes and bags of food, and monetary donations. Cars drove to the front of the senior center, where donations were collected then quickly sorted during the four-hour event.

"First and foremost, my goal was to get people out, safely, and to focus on something they could do," Wassinger said. "And No. 2 was the food pantry, so that was perfect."