The residents of Northfield Township are not immune to financial hardship.
“People are often surprised to find out that Northfield Township has a food pantry or has a need for it,” said Terri Graham, community coordinator for the township, which covers Northbrook, most of Glenview and about half of Northfield.
The pantry has existed for 25 years, serving people of all ages facing difficulties such as illness, unemployment and divorce, among other things, Graham said. Clients also include senior citizens and service workers whose income does not meet living expenses.
“You can’t say, This is the typical client,” she said. Some clients may have been donors in the past and never expected to need the service themselves.
“We try to be extra sensitive that it is difficult to come in and use the food pantry,” Graham said.
Pantry staff members take measures to preserve the clients’ privacy, such as trying to reduce the chances that volunteers and clients will meet.
Prospective clients must provide proof of income and Northfield Township residency. Income guidelines are established according to family size. Households with children receiving free or reduced lunches at schools in the township are eligible to use the pantry through an agreement between the township and schools.
Each household may pick up groceries once a month, with the number of bags determined by family size. A family of four, for example, would receive three bags of groceries. Items include a balance of vegetables, sweets and foods that provide protein, and can be tailored to meet special dietary needs such as those of diabetics, vegetarians or infants.
This year the pantry became a member of the Greater Chicago Food Depository to increase access to items most in demand. These include pasta and protein foods such as peanut butter and canned meats. The depository also will help provide supplies during times when donations decline, particularly during the summer.
Certificates plug supply gaps
Clients also receive monthly certificates to purchase milk, fresh produce and personal care items at grocery stores. Fresh bread and pastries, donated by merchants and picked up by volunteers, are available four times a week. Special items are distributed when available.
The pantry also provides “birthday bags,” which include a cake mix, a card and other supplies for the month of a child’s birthday. The bags are assembled by school groups.
The pantry has a program to provide school supplies in the fall, which are being distributed to 315 children this year, Graham said. When the program began four years ago, 88 children received supplies, she said.
The number of clients using the pantry has grown in recent years, said Jill Brickman, Northfield Township supervisor. She believes the economy and increased outreach efforts are the main reasons for this trend. From May 2003 to May 2004, 280 households were certified to use the pantry. The monthly average of households using the pantry was 168, households representing about 544 individuals, according to pantry records.
The pantry is stocked through donations. “The community’s been amazing that way–through organized groups and individuals, they’ve come through,” Brickman said. “So far, we’ve never had to cut back, we’ve never had to shut down. We’ve been able to not only keep serving people but serve more people than we ever have before.”
Donations of food and money come from individuals, corporations, chambers of commerce, houses of worship, schools and businesses, among others.
The pantry’s estimated operating budget for the current fiscal year, which began March 1, is $76,500, pantry officials said. The money primarily buys grocery certificates and items from the food depository. The budget does not come from tax funds; it is made up almost entirely of donations.
The township provides space and staff for the pantry. One full-time pantry coordinator certifies clients for eligibility and prepares groceries for distribution. Other staffers, including a case manager who evaluates clients for other assistance programs, divide their time among the pantry and other responsibilities.
Volunteer help indispensable
Volunteers play a crucial role by helping to run food drives, sort donations, stock shelves and retrieve bread from retailers. More than 200 volunteers rotated through the pantry from September 2003 to May 2004.
Ron Fleming and Lynn Rushkewicz, two of seven regular volunteers who come in twice monthly, find that their roles vary.
“It’s different every time we walk in, depending on how much food they have,” Fleming said. “We really don’t get to see the end result of all of this, but we know where it all goes, and it makes me feel good about doing it.”
They often sort donations, eliminating any open or past due items and categorizing the rest. They also help manage other volunteers.
“The people are great; we have a lot of volunteers,” Rushkewicz said. “It’s kind of social even while you’re still working and trying to work for a better cause.”
The pantry recently expanded to twice its previous shelf and room size thanks to volunteer labor and donations. When the Northbrook Rotary Club heard that the pantry was outgrowing its space, they adopted the project of expanding it. Members took down a wall and built shelves and a workstation. The Rotary Club and Home Depot each donated $1,000 to the project. The facility now has two freezers, a refrigerator, a work station and five rows of double-sided shelves.
Graham is delighted with the changes. “Not only did it expand our space, but it gave all of us such a boost that the community does care so much about this program,” she said. “It’s allowed us to expand our services.” For example, the pantry now is able to distribute fresh produce grown in local gardens.
“We’ll be able to do more that will make a difference in people’s lives,” Graham said.
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Northfield Township Food Pantry
Address: 3801 W. Lake Ave., Glenview, IL 60026.
Phone: 847-724-8300.
Web site: www.northfieldtownship.com.
Hours: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-noon the first two Saturdays of the month.
Eligibility requirements: Proof of Northfield Township residency and qualifying income, or proof of participation in free or reduced lunch program at a school in the township.
Average number of grocery bags distributed monthly: 541.
Volunteers: More than 200 a year.
