St. Joseph Catholic Church to Host Ribbon Cutting for Food Pantry Aug. 26

To accommodate an increase of families seeking food assistance at St. Joseph Catholic Church's Food Pantry, the food pantry is being expanded and remodeled. To celebrate this wonderful benefit to the families in Lake County, the church is holding a ribbon cutting ceremony on August 26 at 3:30 p.m.

As the 2020 Pandemic continues to upend and disrupt daily life in Lake County, St. Joseph Catholic Church is springing into action to serve more needy families with their expanded Food Pantry. Located at 112 N. Milwaukee Ave, in the shopping center at the corner of E. Park Ave. and N. Milwaukee, volunteers at the St. Joseph Catholic Church Food Pantry are stocking shelves, assisting families, and providing an amount of food security for the residents of Lake County.

"In January of this year, we 45 visits from families at our food bank," Mary Causey, Director of Social Justice and Services at St. Joseph Catholic Church says, "In July, we had 421 visits. Thanks to charitable donations from parishioners and community members, we were able to keep the shelves stocked."

The St. Joseph Catholic Church Food Pantry allows families to walk the aisles and gather items as if in a grocery store. "We want to allow these families to feel a level of dignity as they navigate these stressful and extraordinary situations," Causey said. Partnered with the Northern Illinois Food Bank, it is the mission of the St. Joseph Catholic Church Food Bank to help the vulnerable of Lake County and find others that want to make a difference by volunteering some time or canned goods for those needing assistance.