Food Pantry Shatters Attendance Records
Dec 10, 2008
We knew the worsening economy would impact the OPRF Food Pantry. We just didn’t know how much. All year, our numbers had been climbing anyway. By the end of September we were serving 34% more families than we had seen through September of 2007. But when the bottom fell out of the economy in late October the impact was instantaneous. In November, the Food Pantry served a record 788 families representing 2806 individuals. (In comparison, November 2007 saw 390 families served.)
The good news is that we have been able to provide each of those families with good, nutritious food to help tide them over in their time of need. As always during the holiday season, our community dug deeply to give to their less fortunate neighbors.
Several schools ran food drives to help supply us with canned goods. We’d like to thank Concordia’s Student Athletic Advisory Council, St. Edmunds Elementary School, William Beye Elementary School, and OPRF Special Education students for their kindness and generosity.
Community businesses came up with creative ways to help stock our shelves. Well Adjusted World Chiropractic offered free adjustments to those who brought in 5 items of holiday food. Fly Bird offered 10% off all purchases with a food donation. Not content to stop there, Fly Bird recruited the entire Avenue Business district to join in a week-end food drive with their own specials. The YMCA also ran a food drive throughout December, bringing in hundreds of food items.
While canned food drives are a staple of the pantry business, nothing goes further towards feeding the hungry than cash donations. The OPRF Youth Football League asked each member family to donate one dollar during the play-off games. That $200 allowed us to purchase nearly 1500 cans of spaghetti sauce!
Children and adults, youth groups and seniors—together we can continue to meet the needs of our hungry neighbors.
If you’d like to donate, surf on over to our Donations page and use PayPal to make your donation with just a click. Or if you prefer, send a check to OPRF Food Pantry, PO Box 3365, Oak Park, IL 60303.