Posts Tagged: Chicago Tribune

“Many of the people calling in are moms with children who are worried about how to feed their families,” said Jackie Alvarez, client services coordinator with Loaves & Fishes Community Services.

One mother of four called Loaves & Fishes on Saturday morning in tears, worried about how she would feed her family without SNAP, Alvarez said. The woman rode her bike to the Loaves & Fishes’ pantry in Naperville so she could register as a new client and get the food and diapers she needed.

“We’ve seen a dramatic rise in the number of new clients coming to Loaves & Fishes for assistance over the past week, and we’re anticipating continued high numbers,” said Megan Lynch, the nonprofit’s executive vice president for advancement.

Illinois SNAP recipients and pantries brace for halt of federal food stamp funding amid shutdown: ‘A crisis’ Download a PDF of this story here

As Loaves and Fishes heads into its 40th year, one volunteer’s been with them for the long haul.

Community organizations partner to bolster donated car program in DuPage County  

The staff at Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry is not happy with how the back room of the nonprofit’s building on Jericho Road in Aurora looks right now.

Storage shelves once brimming with food are half empty.

And with need rising – Aurora’s largest pantry is serving 35% more people this year, including 40 new families a week – “we are receiving fewer donations,” noted spokesperson Alyssa Edwards.

Which means, she added, because “we are giving out more than we are getting in, our food is getting scarce.”

A new Loaves & Fishes app allows clients to place food orders electronically and select a pickup time that works with their schedule.

Known as the Loaves & Fishes Online Market, items can be preselected and the order filled for pickup at the Naperville nonprofit’s distribution center at 580 Exchange Court in Aurora.

Naperville Sun, Loaves & Fishes buys warehouse building with an eye toward tripling its food assistance services January 14, 2021 Read the complete article here:      

Decent: Loaves and Fishes adjusts as demand for food grows: ‘What do we need to do to get to where we need to be? Chicago Tribune, May 1, 2020 By Hilary Decent “With food, the need is right here right now. We are the boots on the ground,” Mike Havala, CEO of Loaves and Fishes… Read more »

Loaves & Fishes says people seeking food assistance up dramatically, and they need financial help to meet demand Chicago Tribune, Naperville Sun, April 24th, 2020 Suzanne Baker  A line of cars extended down High Grove Lane in Naperville as families waited Thursday to collect a box of food. In the last several weeks, Loaves &… Read more »

NAPERVILLE, Ill. – Neighborhoods throughout Naperville are invited to join communities nationwide and participate in National Night Out from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, August 1, 2017. Online registration is now available by visiting www.naperville.il.us/nno.