Neighborhood organization and local business contribute to pantry

Neighbors helping neighbors
The Greater South Loop Association and Overflow Coffee Bar have contributed funds for the South Loop Community Church Food Pantry. The GSLA donated $500 from entry donatations taken in during the 2012 Bash on Wabash. Overflow Coffee Bar donated a percentage of sales from their Ten Thousand Villages items they sell and feature every Saturday at the coffee bar. Since the food pantry operates with a very small budget, provided by South Loop Community Church,

donations are really appreciated and necessary for us to provide nourishing food to those in need in the South Loop.







Give thanks
Next time you’re at Overflow Coffee Bar or attend a GSLA meeting, please thank them for supporting the food pantry. You can find the GSLA and Overflow on Facebook and Twitter. Here are their respective links: GLSA on Facebook, Twitter; Overflow on Facebook, Twitter.

Attend the Bash on Wabash this weekend and support the SLCC Food Pantry

The Greater South Loop Association, sponsors of the annual Bash on Wabash, will give a portion of the proceeds from the street festival to the South Loop Community Church Food Pantry. The 2012 Bash on Wabash will take place on August 25 and 26 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. both days. When people arrive at the gate, they will see the following:

A portion of the proceeds from the Greater South Loop Association’s “Bash on Wabash” will go toward the South Loop Community Church Food Pantry. The SLCC Food Pantry serves Chicago residents in need of good, nourishing food. Every Saturday, from 9-11am, the pantry gives each family a bag of groceries, as well as fresh vegetables, bread, and protein, when available. The SLCC Food Pantry is a member agent of the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

2011 Bash on Wabash

The Bash on Wabash is a family-friendly event with music, food, games, and a lively children’s play area. For more information on the Bash, visit the official Bash Web site. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

“Good Neighbors”: Overflow Coffee Bar

Do you love the South Loop? T-shirts on
sale at Overflow Coffee Bar

Overflow Coffee Bar at 1550 S. State St. has been a supporter of the SLCC Food Pantry from the very beginning. They were the first establishment that agreed to put a food drop-off basket in their store. Owners Amanda and Brandon Neely and their customers have been very faithful in depositing nonperishable food items in that basket, every week, often to overflowing (hmm, that reminds me of a coffee shop in town).  


Business with a mission
Overflow’s mission is to change the world “one cup at a time” and they’re living out that mission on a daily basis. We can’t thank them and their customers enough for their generosity and good spirit towards us. When you’re in the neighborhood, stop into Overflow for a cup of coffee, a sandwich, pastry, t-shirt, and thank them for their support. We couldn’t do what we do without our “good neighbors.”

2012 Hunger Walk

The Greater Chicago Food Depository 27th Annual Hunger Walk is June 23 at Soldier Field. Registration is 7 a.m. Step-off at 8:30 a.m. The walk is the major fund raising event for the Depository. Member food pantries and soup kitchens will be participating in the walk and South Loop Community Church Food Pantry will be at part of this exciting event.

“Do It For Chicago”
The Hunger Walk is an annual 5K (3.1 miles) event to raise funds and awareness for the Food Depository’s work in Cook County and network of 650 agencies (food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters). The Food Depository covers the overhead expenses for the event so all funds raised can be divided among the agencies to help supplement their budgets or, in some cases, serve as their entire annual budget. This is the largest one-day anti-hunger event in Chicago that brings together all of Cook County.

Please join our team!
Feel free to make a donation to our team by clicking our Hunger Walk Team page, or consider making one to the event as a whole. Either way, we hope we can count on your support. The SLCC Food Pantry, and the Food Depository and its network, truly appreciate your support.

Partner Profile: Overflow Coffee Bar

Check out the plans Overflow Coffee Bar, one of our pantry partners, has. Their motto is “changing the world, one cup at a time.” They’re moving one step closer to their mission. Check out the video to learn more.

Please support Overflow Coffee Bar as they support us. They’ve allowed SLCC Food Pantry to put a nonperishable food donation basket in their store. Their generous customers have donated food items every week that have helped those in need. When you order a cup of coffee (or tea) at Overflow, you can feel good about your purchase.

If you would like to donate items to the food pantry, please stop by Overflow Coffee Bar at 1550 S. State St.

Help Us Keep These Shelves Full

One of several shelves at the SLCC Food Pantry

We need help keeping our food pantry shelves full. Every Saturday, we distribute food to those in need, which requires us to constantly purchase more food from the Greater Chicago Food Depository. The SLCC Food Pantry purchases food from the GCFD, generally, two times a month. The GCFD does a great job providing food pantries with nourishing food at a reasonable cost. Even, so, our budget for food purchases only goes so far.

How Can You Help?
You can help us serve those in need in the South Loop and Chicago by donating nonperishable food items. The next time you’re in the supermarket and see a two-for-one or Ten-for-$10 sale, please consider putting one item aside for the food pantry. To see a list of suggested donation items (including items like toothpaste, soap, and shampoo), click on the “donation and volunteer opportunities” tab.

Convenient Drop-Off Locations
We have four drop-off locations around the South Loop: 2nd Ward Alderman’s Office, Donna’s Café, Overflow Coffee Bar, and Urban Re-Mix. To find the exact adresses and normal business hours for these locations, please click on the “drop-off locations” tab above. And please thank these businesses for being good neighbors. I’m sure they would love your patronage as well!

Food Distribution Continues

SLCC Food Pantry Volunteers

Once again, the SLCC provided food for those in need. Last Saturday (April 7) and today (April 14) we were able to provide clients with nourishing food, including frozen whole chickens, spinach, and onions. Thanks to our drop-off partners (Overflow Coffee Bar and Urban Re-Mix) and Panera Bread, we were able to provide additional food items.


Donated Food Items
Most of the food donated at our drop-off locations goes on the “client choice” table. After receiving bags of food, bread, and frozen meat, clients can choose up to three items from that table. One week we might have several jars of peanut butter and jelly. Another week, we might have pasta, tomato sauce, and canned chili.

Volunteers serve clients on April 7, 2011.

New Drop-Off Location
Donna’s Café, 1255E S. State St., is the latest place to donate nonperishable food. When you stop in to get a cup of coffee or a sandwich, you can drop off a can of soup or a box of pasta. Thanks, Donna for supporting the SLCC Food Pantry.

Bread, Chickens, and Crackerjack

Food Pantry volunteers help a guest (second from right)
with some food parcels

This Saturday (March 31, 2012) the SLCC Food Pantry had volunteers passing out food to residents of Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood. Once again, we had a generous donation of bread from Panera, via the 2nd Ward Alderman’s office. We also had whole frozen chickens and thanks to another donation, we even had Crackerjack to distribute to those who wanted it.

The SLCC Food Pantry is open every Saturday 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Happy Anniversay Overflow Coffee Bar
Boy, did that year go by fast? Overflow Coffee Bar is a community-minded coffee shop that is helping SLCC Food Pantry by serving as a donation drop-off point. Nonperishable food items dropped off at Overflow have been distributed to those in need in our neighborhood. Celebrate Overflow’s anniversary by stopping by for a cup of fair trade coffee. Be sure to thank them for being good neighbors in the South Loop.

Whole frozen chickens were distributed Saturday.

More Drop-off Locations
Besides Overflow, you can drop-off nonperishable food items for the SLCC Food Pantry at the 2nd Ward Alderman’s Office and Urban-Remix. You may also drop-off food items at SLCC’s facility during normal business hours during the week. To make sure there is someone to receive your contributions, we recommend you call each drop-off location before you make your visit.

For a complete list of drop-off locations, including contact information, please click on
the “Food Drop-Off Locations” tab.

Busy Wednesday at the Food Pantry

Two Thousand Pounds of Food!

Volunteers stock pantry shelves, preparing for Saturday
food distribution

Yesterday was a busy day at the SLCC Food Pantry. We picked up over 2,000 pounds of food from the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Volunteers offloaded the food, unpacked, and stocked the pantry shelves. Then the boxes had to be broken down and disposed of properly. Whew!

And it felt like mid-July too on Wednesday. Many of the food items, including potatoes and packages of baby carrots will be distributed this Saturday. The food pantry is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Food Pantry Update

Bags of food all in a row.

Another Saturday at the SLCC Food Pantry has come to an end. Maybe it was the beautiful weather or the St. Patrick’s Day festivities, but we weren’t nearly as busy as we were last week. Those guests who did show up received bags of food, frozen spinach, and bread—once again, courtesy of Panera Bread. . Guests were also able to choose three additional food items out of an assortment set up on a table. Many of those items items were donated from residents of the South Loop. Thank you, neighbors!

New Drop-Off Location
We have a new food drop-off location: Urban Re-Mix at 1468 S. Michigan Ave. Urban Re-Mix is an upscale furnishings consignment shop. Food items may be dropped off during normal business hours. For information on their business hours, please visit their Web site. When you’re looking for some unique home furnishings, drop in at Urban Re-Mix.

Vanessa and Daisy are ready to greet our guests.

More Drop-Off Locations Wanted
If you know of a business or organization that would be and ideal spot for dropping off donations for the SLCC Food Pantry, please contact us.

We’re Up and Running!

A short break during food distribution

We launched our food pantry outreach Saturday, March 10, 2012, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. as a member agent of the Greater Chicago Food Depository. We were able to distribute 40 bags of groceries to needy individuals and families. Our food pantry will be open every Saturday from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Bags were filled with an assortment of nonperishable food items. Individuals received one bag of food; families of three or more received two bags. Food pantry clients were also given a choice of receiving frozen spinach, bread (donated by Panera Bread), and produce. Clients were also allowed to choose three items from a table of assorted food items like canned tuna, soups, peanut butter, and canned fruits and vegetables.

We are currently the only food pantry in the 60605 zip code, so we know we have our work cut out for us. The pantry is located at 1347 S. State St., which is also the location of South Loop Community Church.

For more information on the food pantry, donation and volunteer opportunities, the Greater Chicago Food Depository, and Food Drop-off locations, click on the respective tabs at the top of the page. Check back later for food pantry news and updates.

We  distributed potatoes and carrots to
those who wanted them.