FEEDING THE HUNGRY
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Resources Beyond Our Parish
Food Pantry
Contact: Leni Duffy
Our food pantry currently serves 200 households in need each month. Non-perishable food items and monetary donations come from our parishioners and the Park Ridge community. Mother Teresa and St. Ann's Guild members shelve food donations in the pantry. Mother Teresa's Guild also purchases ground beef each month from their Labors of Love fundraising event. St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church members, who serve on their social concerns board, volunteer and drop off monthly food and fund donations.
How it Works
Since COVID 19, our food distribution is done curbside on Summit Ave, 8 - 10 a.m., on the last Saturday of each month, except in November and December when it is open on the third Saturday to accommodate our holiday outreach. The food pantry is located on campus in the southeast corner of the Kinane Center with its own outside entry. A dropbox from the outside is provided for non perishable food donations. Monetary donations to the food pantry are used to supplement our inventory.
New clients need a photo ID showing current address plus another proof of name and address to register for the pantry.
We serve residents from the following zip codes; 60068, 60016, 60018, 60174 and 60631.
Holiday Outreach
Each year, special Thanksgiving food boxes and turkeys are distributed to our food pantry patrons. The Queen of Peace Guild has generously purchased the turkeys and packed the boxes for over twenty years. This distribution is possible through our annual parish wide Thanksgiving food drive during the second weekend of November. A few volunteers are needed to collect and sort the donations.
We also distribute special Christmas food boxes with hams each year on the Saturday before Christmas, with help from the St. Therese the Little Flower Guild. And along with this special food distributions we organize an adopt-a-family program to provide Christmas gifts to the needy in our area.
Monetary and gift card donations are always appreciated during the holidays to cover the cost of these outreach programs. If you are interested in volunteering, or donating to these special distributions, or would like to learn more please contact Leni Duffy.