Ending hunger starts with community.
Partners are neighbors, first.
Our food pantry serves 15 villages in Cook County. Much like our nation, those 15 villages are contiguously connected by commerce and community, by neighborhoods and neighbors. Most especially, they are connected by business leaders and civic leaders who understand the importance of these connections.
We are a region of haves and have-nots.
According to the 2021 U.S. Census, over 7,000 of our neighbors live below the poverty line. Yet, 83% of them live in just seven of our pantry’s assigned villages.
What does this say about the challenge our collective communities face?