(Naperville, IL October 11, 2022) Loaves & Fishes Community Services and Edward-Elmhurst Health are excited to announce a new partnership on a project that will increase access to healthy food and services for families who need assistance.
The new Loaves & Fishes Food Distribution Hub, located in Aurora, serves as a storage, processing, and fulfillment center. With the addition of this facility, the organization has adopted a hub and spoke model that supports the delivery of food to various locations in DuPage, Will, Kane, and Kendall Counties. Loaves & Fishes clients can choose how and when they would like to receive their food: they can shop in the Naperville Grocery Market, order and pick up their food via the new Online Market, or receive a pre-pack box of food through curbside pickup.
The Edward-Elmhurst Health Center in Plainfield will soon become a new Loaves & Fishes online order pickup location. This new location provides more access to healthy food for struggling families in the Plainfield area. Loaves & Fishes clients will be able to shop on the Online Market and select the Edward-Elmhurst Health Center in Plainfield as their pickup location.
“With this collaboration with Edward-Elmhurst Health, we are able to make healthy food more accessible to people who need assistance,” says Mike Havala, President/CEO of Loaves & Fishes. “With the nation experiencing dramatic increases in the prices of food, gas, and other basic necessities, food pantries have seen a tremendous increase in need. Loaves & Fishes has seen record numbers of people needing assistance. As the need continues to grow, we are grateful for partnerships like Edward-Elmhurst Health that allow us to have a greater impact.”
Loaves & Fishes and Edward-Elmhurst Health’s like-minded missions allow for a natural partnership committed to working together for a healthier community.
”We’re proud to enhance our long-time partnership with Loaves & Fishes by making healthy food more accessible to the residents of Plainfield and Will County,” says Mary Lou Mastro, CEO, South Region, NorthShore – Edward-Elmhurst Health. “A Loaves & Fishes pickup location on our Plainfield campus meshes perfectly with our mission to advance the health of our communities.”
To find out more about placing an order for pickup at the Edward-Elmhurst Health Center in Plainfield, visit the Loaves & Fishes Online Market at lffood.org. Pick-up at this location will be available starting November 3, 2022.
About NorthShore – Edward-Elmhurst Health
NorthShore – Edward-Elmhurst Health is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system committed to providing access to quality, vibrant, community-connected care, serving an area of more than 4.2 million residents across six northeast Illinois counties. Our more than 25,000 team members and more than 6,000 physicians aim to deliver transformative patient experiences and expert care close to home across more than 300 ambulatory locations and eight acute care hospitals – Edward (Naperville), Elmhurst, Evanston, Glenbrook (Glenview), Highland Park, Northwest Community (Arlington Heights), Skokie and Swedish (Chicago) – all recognized as Magnet hospitals for nursing excellence. Located in Naperville, Linden Oaks Behavioral Health, provides for the mental health needs of area residents. For more information, visit NorthShore.org and EEHealth.org.
About Loaves and Fishes Community Services
Loaves & Fishes Community Services is a registered 501(3) organization that currently serves more than 5,000 people a week, providing healthy food and impactful programs for self-sufficiency. It is one of the largest food pantries in the state of Illinois. Clients receive a healthy variety of food, including fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, and eggs. The Loaves & Fishes CARES programs help clients become self-sufficient through opportunities such as emergency assistance for rent or utilities, assistance with public benefits, car donations, tax preparation, job readiness, budget, and credit classes, and Moving Up, a 16-session intensive to help clients overcome barriers preventing them from becoming self-sufficient. Loaves & Fishes serves DuPage, Will, Kane, and Kendall counties. Loaves & Fishes Grocery Market and administrative offices are located in Naperville, and their Food Distribution Hub is located in Aurora. For more information, visit loaves-fishes.org.
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