Hunger on the rise: How you can help your neighbors this holiday season

No one deserves to go hungry. As we head into the holiday season, your help with donations of food and funds are urgently needed by the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry for its annual Holiday Food Drive.

Through Nov. 24, you can assist your neighbors by logging onto www.aurorafoodpantry.org and contributing or by purchasing bags filled with needed food stuffs at three area grocery stores - Prisco's Family Market, 1108 Prairie St., Aurora; Cermak Fresh Market, 1250 N. Lake St., Aurora; and La Chiquita, 1525 Douglas Road, Montgomery.

In celebration of the food drive's 15 years, shoppers at these stores can purchase prepackaged bags of food for $15, or more if they choose. Additionally, the pantry will be accepting monetary donations from the community, getting much-needed food to families struggling to make ends meet in the surrounding community.

The pantry's holiday food drive has brought in 200,000 pounds of food in its 15-year history, said Shannon Cameron, executive director of the Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry. The pantry has been providing nutritious food relief to residents of Aurora and surrounding communities in a humanitarian and compassionate manner for more than 40 years.

The effort began during the recession of the early 1980s, when many faiths came together to keep the Aurora community fed, and it has grown to include a weekly food pantry (open three days a week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.); a delivered food pantry for those unable to leave their neighborhoods; a pet food pantry; and mobile and pop-up food pantries at churches and other sites. A Women's Empowerment Mobile Pantry, funded by a grant from the Aurora Women's Empowerment Foundation, provides menstrual hygiene products, diapers, wipes, food/snacks and general hygiene products.

"The pandemic and inflation are taking a toll on our families," Cameron said. "In fact, demand is up 91 percent over last year. So, we will be putting together many holiday food boxes, as well as boxes of the staples people need year-round like rice, beans, canned protein, fruits and vegetables, to assist people in a five-county area. This year we are budgeted to spend $50,000 on holiday food, including turkeys, hams and chickens."

Gerald Subaru of Naperville has played an integral part in the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry's year-round effort to alleviate local hunger for many years. In fact, more than 15 years ago, one of its executives suggested the November food drive as a way to stock the pantry's shelves for the holidays.

"Now, more than ever, we are seeing a growing number of neighbors that are having to choose between paying their electric bills or putting food on the table," said Alec McKean, Vice President of Gerald Auto Group. "Every dollar donated helps Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry support people experiencing food insecurities. Everyone deserves to spend time with their families, eating a good meal, while sharing what they are thankful for this year."

Gerald has played an active part in the annual effort ever since the beginning, Cameron said, using some of its marketing budget to promote the annual food drive, sponsor an annual radiothon and naming the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry as one of the recipients of its "Share the Love" campaign during November, December and January each year. They also provide volunteers for Food Pantry events, she added.

"We are so grateful for Gerald's friendship," Cameron stated. "We couldn't feed our community's increasing need without Gerald."