Stories of Hope

Loaves & Fishes: Next Generation Generosity  By Nancy Wiersum  As we look to the future, we are so encouraged by the involvement of the youngest generation in our vital mission. This year we had numerous children and teenagers step up to end hunger and transform lives. While we remain deeply grateful for everyone who makes… Read more »

“Our new facility is a catalyst for being able to do more, for more, and do it better. It’s a game-changer, and together, we are truly on the road to having a lasting impact on our community.” – Mike Havala, President and CEO, Loaves & Fishes Read article here

Positively Naperville, August 18 2021 | Are You a Face of Compassion? Compassion is what drives most of the engagement with Loaves & Fishes. The word is defined as a deep awareness of others’ distress, together with a desire to alleviate it. Kind people who can see how difficult things are for others and want… Read more »

The Building for Lasting Impact initiative allows Loaves & Fishes to efficiently serve substantially more families in need. The plan allows us to expand geographically and provides omnichannel distribution through a hub and spoke model. Faces of Compassion Are you a face of compassion? Be part of the next phase of our Building for Lasting Impact… Read more »

  Loaves & Fishes CARES Car Program While COVID-19 resulted in the temporary closures of many businesses and client programs over the past year, the Loaves & Fishes CARES Car Program remained open and gave clients a ray of hope during the uncertainties of the pandemic. Click here to read the entire article.

The typical day at Loaves & Fishes begins early in the morning, as our dedicated volunteers prepare for the nearly 1,000 families we serve each week.

They start the day by setting up our drive-through distribution route with orange cones, directional signage, and tents. Rain or shine, they put on their orange safety vests and are ready to greet our guests with a smile.

Creative Donations for the Wall of Lasting Impact  As part of our Building for Lasting Impact Campaign, the community has been invited to purchase a figurative Building Block to be displayed in our new building on the Wall of Lasting Impact. Over the past few months, we have been touched by the outpouring of support…. Read more »

If you didn’t have the opportunity to see today’s Naperville Unscripted virtual town hall, here it is! Thank you to Mayor Steve Chirico for hosting this informative discussion. https://fb.watch/491nqMYrCY/ Posted by Loaves & Fishes Community Services on Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Spotlight on Food Rescue  Did you know that approximately 60% of the food Loaves & Fishes distributes is from our food rescue program? The remaining food comes from food drives (20%) and food that we purchase (20%).  Our trucks make many weekly stops to local grocery stores who partner with us. The food we rescue… Read more »

Naperville Magazine, Meeting Needs February, 2021 By Dana Moran and Anne Stern The coronavirus pandemic changed how we live and work—essentially overnight. For Loaves & Fishes Community Services, it was a perfect storm of market forces: Demand for food grew dramatically, and food supply decreased due to supply chain interruptions. On top of that, due… Read more »