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Community Corner

Grafton Food Pantry Expecting Busy Holiday Season

More than 200 needy families received the pantry's Thanksgiving dinner package

 

With nearly 43 million Americans living in poverty, according to an October report from the U.S. Census Bureau, food pantries have increasingly become a lifeline for those in need, particularly families and seniors.

In Huntley, car and foot traffic at the Grafton Food Pantry, 12191-B Smith Drive in Huntley, have reflected the census data with more than 200 area families recently receiving Thanksgiving dinner packages that included dressing, bread, onions, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, garnishes, canned vegetables and cake mix.

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“If we had any baked goods, we sent that with them also,” Grafton Food Pantry board member Harriet Ford said.

In some ways Thanksgiving was a trial run for the non-profit pantry. Next month they expect to distribute more than 200 Christmas dinners.

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“This is up there,” said Ford, noting the pantry doesn’t record distribution figures. “I think over 200 is the highest we’ve ever been at.”

Traffic was bustling prior to Thanksgiving, too. On average the Grafton Food Pantry serves more than 300 families per month.

“The face of hunger has changed,” Ford said. “Even in our nice suburbs, people have been unable to make ends meet.”

One of the means in which the pantry hopes to meet the upcoming holiday demand is through $25 donations. Each donation will provide a Christmas food box to a family in need. Overall, for $1 dollar the pantry collects, it purchases $4 worth of groceries from the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

The pantry is also sponsoring an Adopt A Family program that collects needy families’ wish lists and then distributes the anonymous lists to residents who’d like to contribute holiday gifts.

“I had a nine-year old last year who wanted just a blanket and chocolate,” Ford said.

Now in its sixth year, the Grafton Food Pantry has received continued support from numerous local businesses, schools and charitable groups including Costco, Huntley High School, Marlowe Middle School, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, See’s Candies, Sheperd of the Prairie Lutheran Church, Trinity Lutheran Church, Walgreens, Walmart, Westlake Community Church, the Willow Creek Community Church of Huntley, and the Sun City Woodchucks, a woodworking club that makes toys to distribute.

“They all help us make the holidays brighter for people,” Ford said.

Also instrumental in the pantry's success have been the methods in which the businesses, schools and charitable groups contribute and participate. Canned food drives and paper goods donations are among the most popular, but the pantry also has benefited from donated freezers in which to stock their food. Recently they received dental supplies.

“Gary Sexson, who is a local orthodontist, gave us boxes and boxes of toothpaste and toothbrushes and dental floss – which is a great gift for us because those are expensive items to purchase. Obviously we need to feed people but those are items people do need and if money is tight, they don’t necessary have it.”

Individuals have come forward and contributed, too.

“People give on all different levels,” Ford said. “Some people who have gardens in the summer, and have the extra produce, bring that in.”

As for when the economy and employment will rebound, it’s anybody’s guess, but Ford said the pantry expects to distribute more than 200 Easter dinners next year.

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