Happy New Year from the SLCC Food Pantry!

We’re looking forward to serving the South Loop and Chicago communities in 2014. We’re very grateful for all the volunteers through the year, as well as the businesses and organizations that have assisted us.

This Saturday, January 4, 2014, we’ll be distributing food and fresh produce from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Christmas Toy Store

Volunteers get gifts ready for the toy store.

This year we had a Christmas Toy Store for two weeks during the operation of the food pantry. We had new toys for girls and boys for modest prices, many well below their original cost. The prices for toys ranged from a low of $1 to a high of $5; no toy was priced higher. Customers were able to buy up to five gifts during one visit to the toy store. We also had gift-wrapping available for those who requested it. We were delighted to have people from the neighborhood volunteer to help at the toy store, including several members of the Greater South Loop Association board. The GSLA helped us provide turkeys and fixings for our Thanksgiving food distribution by giving the pantry a generous donation of $1000. We distributed 120 turkeys on November 23, 2013.

Gift wrapping was available at the toy store.

Thank you, neighbors!
Thanks to Overflow Coffee Bar—Overflow has been a partner with the food pantry from the very start. Their have a food donation basket has been a constant source of nonperishable food items throughout the year. They just don’t sell great coffee, they’re great neighbors.

We also want to thank our wonderful volunteers. We have a regular group of volunteers from the surrounding area, including the folks from the Loop Church. Located at the Daystar Center, their members have been very generous with their time and donations of food—they help that food pantry basket at Overflow, well, overflowing! We also want to thank our regular volunteers from South Loop Community Church, the high school and college students, as well as the many folks that help us behind the scenes working with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, placing orders and keeping a check on inventory. A special thank you goes to food pantry coordinator, Rosa Ellis.

Clothes Ministry
We also want to thank those who help with the clothes ministry that operates during food pantry hours on the second and third Saturdays of the month. The clothes ministry offers clothes and accessories, free of charge, for men, women, and children. We want to extend a big thank you to clothes ministry coordinator Daisy Bell for all her hard work.

Daisy Bell and Rosa Ellis pose in front of some of the toys available at
the Christmas Toy Store.

Volunteer opportunities

We’re always in need of volunteers. There are opportunities to help during food distribution and with food deliveries during the month. If you think you’d like to volunteer, please click on the tab that says “Donate & Volunteer” at the top of the page.

Food Pantry will be closed on November 30, 2013

The South Loop Community Church Food Pantry will be closed on Saturday, November 30, 2013. Normal food pantry operation will resume the following Saturday, December 7. The SLCC Food Pantry hours of operation are 9 – 11 a.m. every Saturday (unless otherwise noted). On December 7, we will also be offering fresh produce.

SLCC Food Pantry will be providing fresh produce on December 7, 2013.

Thanksgiving Turkey distribution November 23, 2013

South Loop Community Church Food Pantry will be distributing frozen turkeys on November 23, 2013 during normal food distribution hours, 9 – 11 a.m. One turkey will be given to each household while they last. Along with the turkeys, we’re planning on including some Thanksgiving sides like cranberry sauce and stovetop stuffing. To make sure that our clients aren’t disappointed, we need your help. If you can donate nonperishable items that would be appropriate for a Thanksgiving celebration, please drop them off at SLCC, 1347 S. State St. during normal business hours Monday through Friday. You may also drop off items at Overflow Coffee Bar at 1550 S. State St. If you have any questions, please call 312. 566.9076 or e-mail Rosa Ellis @ellislaine@sbcglobal.net.

Clothes distribution this Saturday November 9 at SLCC Food Pantry

The second and third Saturdays of the month, along with food distribution, we also offer clothes for those who need them. We have men’s women’s and children’s clothes and accessories, including hats, belts, and shoes.

We offer clothes and accessories for men, women, and children twice a month.

Donate your clothes
If you have clothes that you are no longer wearing, but that are in good shape, please consider donating them. For information on how to donate clothing, please click on the “Clothes Ministry” tab above.

Winter Clothes Drive

Accepting coat donations for men, women, and
children

Winter Coat and Clothes Drive
With winter fast approaching, the South Loop Community Church Food Pantry at 1347 S. State St. is gearing up for a winter coat and clothes drive. Twice a week—the second and third Saturdays of the month—the food pantry distributes clothes, at no charge, to those in need, along with its weekly food distribution. If you have a winter coat that you’re no longer using, please consider donating it to the SLCC Food Pantry. You may deliver you coat Monday through Friday during normal business hours. Please call 312.566.9076 before you drop off your donation to ensure there will be someone to receive it.

Clothes Ministry is Growing
The clothes ministry has been growing. If you would like to consider volunteering your time, please contact Daisy J. Bell, coordinator at Dd1508@aol.com or call 312.566.9076. For more information on the clothes ministry, please click on the clothes ministry tab on this page.

Thank you, volunteers!

Volunteers from BP- NAGP
At SLCC Food Pantry, we are fortunate to have so many people from the community, churches, and businesses volunteer. These volunteers help with food distribution, pack grocery bags, organize and clean the pantry room, you name it; they get put to work. And it’s a great help to us; we couldn’t do what we do without our volunteers. We had some wonderful volunteers from BP-NAGP. Thanks, guys! It was great having you; hope you can volunteer again soon.

Volunteers from BP-NAGP

This past Saturday (October 19), we had 93 walk-ins. Over 100 individuals benefited from good, nourishing food, including fresh produce. The food pantry offers fresh produce on the first, second, and third Saturdays of the month. Saturday we had fresh salad, red cabbage, whole carrots, and cherry tomatoes. The next date for fresh produce is November 2, 2013.

Clothes twice a month
Along with fresh food distribution every Saturday, we offer free clothing for men, women, and children on the second and third Saturdays. If you have some gently used clothing that you’re not wearing anymore—including winter coats—please consider donating them. For more information on what and how to donate, click here.

Cherry tomatoes distributed on Saturday

Thanksgiving turkey distribution November 23, 2013
Thanks to a generous donation from the Greater South Loop Association, we will be distributing turkeys for Thanksgiving on Saturday, November 23, 2013 during normal food distribution hours, 9-11 a.m.

Volunteers needed
We’re always in need of volunteers every Saturday and during the week. Even though distribution takes place only once a week, the work of the food pantry is continuous throughout the week. The pantry itself needs to be stocked, boxes need to be broken down, freezers and refrigerators need to be cleaned out, and so on. If you’d like to volunteer, please contact food pantry coordinator, Rosa Ellis at ellislaine@sbcglobal.net.

Last chance for fresh produce and clothes until next month

This Saturday September 21, 2013 is the last week for produce and clothes distribution until next month. Fresh produce is distributed on the first, second, and third Saturdays. Clothes are distributed on the second and third Saturdays of the month.

Last week's produce included organic mini peeled carrots.

A free farmers market
Although we don’t now exactly know what kind of produce we’ll have until Saturday distribution, what we offer is always fresh and nutritious. On previous weeks, we’ve offered fresh whole pineapples, peaches, green peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, and spinach. Clients are encouraged to take as much as they can carry.

Getting ready for our “farmers market” in the church parking lot at 1347 S. State St.

Free clothes and accessories
Need some new clothes? How about a belt or a scarf? You find a good selection of clothes and accessories for men, women, and children. We even have a nice selection of costume jewelry to complement your outfit!

Currently offering a selection of handbags for women

Donations accepted
We are always in need of donations of clothes and nonperishable food. If you would like to donate food or clothing, you may drop items off at the church during normal business hours Monday through Friday. We recommend that you call 312.566.9076 to make sure their will be someone here to receive your donations. We have two food drop-off locations beside the church, which may be more convenient for you: Overflow Coffee Bar at 1550 S. State St. and Urban Re-mix at 1468 S. Michigan Ave. For more information, click on the “Drop-Off Locations” tab.

Food, Clothes, and More Food!

The South Loop Community Church Food Pantry is now offering clients clothes twice a month during food distribution on Saturdays 9 – 11 a.m. In addition to the regular food distribution, the pantry will be offering fresh produce, fruits and vegetables, three times a month. Fresh produce will be offered on the first, second, and third Saturdays along with our regular food distribution.

Fresh produce will be distributed the first, second, and third Saturdays of the month.

As part of new program with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the pantry will be distributing fruits and vegetables in the south parking lot of South Loop Community Church. The first distribution took place September 7, 2013. The produce included fresh pineapples, peaches, apples, green peppers, cucumbers, and bananas. There was plenty for everyone; clients were encouraged to take as much as they could carry.

Clothes distribution is on the second and third Saturdays of the month.

This Saturday, September 14, 2013 will be the first of our twice-a-month clothes distribution. We have clothes and accessories for men, women, and children.

We offer accessories for men, women, and children.

Here Comes the 2013 Bash on Wabash

Celebrating 10 Years
Celebrating its 10th year, the Greater South Loop Association will be presenting its annual Bash on Wabash street festival on Saturday, August 24 and Sunday, August 25; 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. The Bash on Wabash is located between 14th St. and 14th Pl.

Portion of Bash proceeds to go to Food Pantry
This year’s Bash features attractions for all ages, including a wide variety of musical acts, activities, food trucks, a kids stage as well as the participation of over 30 vendors. Admission is a $5 suggested donation. There is a $2 fee for the kids stage. A portion of the Bash proceeds will be donated to the South Loop Community Church Food Pantry.

Games and attractions
Games and attractions include free sumo wrestling, mechanical bull riding, psychic and tarot card readings, a dunk tank, animal costume contest, and aerobic, strength, yoga and dance classes. The kids stage is open 12:00 p.m. – 7 p.m. and includes face painting, hula hoop lessons, drum circle, bounce house, live music, balloon artist, arts & crafts, circus lessons and more!

New faces, new energy
This Years’s Bash On Wabash committee has plenty of new faces including T.J. Sagen, chairman of the event. Sagen has extensive experience in music management. He currently represents the Grammy-nominated rock band Disturbed, an act that has sold over 14 million albums worldwide. Other artists he represents include, Sevendust, Art Of Dying, W.E.R.M., The Lifeline, The Scissors and singer/songwriter Jess Godwin. He has also been a part of some of the world’s largest music festivals, including Europe’s Rock AM Ring and Download Festival.

Sagen has assembled a group of volunteers with experience in event and project management, writers, financial professionals, and musicians to ensure that this year’s event is a success.

All concerts sponsored by Reggies Chicago and Budweiser.

For more information, including the entertainment schedule, Bash on Wabash Web site.

Food Pantry Update

Twice a month the SLCC Food Pantry
distributes clothes for free during food distribution.

The SLCC Food Pantry is going strong. Since March 2012, we have been providing 100 families and individuals, on average, with good, nutritious food every week.

Now distributing clothes
A few months ago, we started distributing clothes, along with our food distribution on the second and third Saturdays of the month. The response to the clothes has been very positive. We have clothes and accessories for men, women, and children. And like the food, they are given away free of charge.

Neighborhood support
We continue to receive support from the local South Loop community. Donations dropped off at Overflow Coffee Bar, continue to amaze us. Almost every week, there are donations of food and health and beauty items. We are often asked for items like toothpaste, toothbrushes, and deodorant, so these donations are greatly appreciated. Overflow Coffee Bar has been very gracious. They’ve also been generous to us with their own resources, making monetary donations on several occasions.

Get ready for the Bash on Wabash
Once again, Greater South Loop Association will be giving us a portion of the gate donation at the annual Bash on Wabash street festival. Last year, we received a donation of $500 which enabled us to buy turkeys and hams for Thanksgiving distribution last year. This year’s Bash is August 24 and 25. The Bash will have live music, food, as well as an area for kids. For more information on the Bash, please visit the GSLA or the Bash on Wabash Web sites.

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

For information on how you can donate to and/or volunteer at SLCC Food Pantry, please click on the “Donation and Volunteer Opportunities” tab at the top of the page. 

28th Annual Hunger Walk June 29, 2013

Hunger Walk raises funds for Chicago food pantries
On Saturday, June 29, thousands of men, women and children will gather on Chicago’s lakefront to raise funds and awareness for the fight to end hunger in Cook County. The Hunger Walk is a fun opportunity for all types of businesses, organizations and individuals to help ensure their neighbors get the food they need.

Soldier Field, Chicago
Registration 7:00 a.m. | Step-off 8:30 a.m.

The 5k, 3.1 mile Hunger Walk benefits pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters in Cook County that are members of the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s network.

Come walk with us to support our food pantry!
If you want to help raise funds for the South Loop Community Church Food Pantry, please consider walking with us on the June 29. You can support us and help us raise funds just by showing up with the registration form filled out. For every walker we bring to the event, our food pantry gets $12! To download a registration form, click here.

If you can’t walk with us, but would still like to support us, visit our team page and make a donation at the Food Depository Web site.

Hymns for Hunger

The Venue 1550, located at 1550 S. State St. will feature a great night of music with performances from Andrew Greer and Cindy Morgan, singer-songwriters from Nashville on Friday March 22 at 7:30 p.m.

The concert is free but donations of non-perishable food items will be accepted for the South Loop Community Church Food Pantry.

To learn about upcoming events at the Venue 1550 at the Daystar Center, visit their Web site. You can also find them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Buddy, can you spare a van?

March marks one year since the South Loop Community Church started distributing food to those in need, on a weekly basis. We have been averaging between 55-60 walk-ins every Saturday. We also deliver food to another 30 people every week, who aren’t able to come to the pantry in person, due to physical disabilities.

The SLCC Food Pantry is a member agent of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, which enables us to purchase food at discounted and reduced prices. The GCFD also offers member agents free produce and other food stuffs on occasion. But we’ve had to turn down these free offers because we don’t have enough room in our vehicles. Currently, we pick up our food orders (twice a month) with volunteers’ cars. If we had the use of a van for these twice-a-month pick-ups, we could offer those in need more nourishing food every week.

The SLCC Food Pantry serves up to 100 people  each week.
Help us keep these shelves stocked.

Not everyone can physically volunteer in the food pantry—even though we distribute food once-a-week, it’s a five-day-a-week job—but perhaps you are willing and able to volunteer yourself and your van twice a month.

If you think you could help us out or would like more information about the SLCC Food Pantry and other volunteer opportunities, please call the South Loop Community Church office at 312.566.9076 during weekday business hours.

New Year, new challenges, new thanks

Student volunteers interact with food pantry clients

With January winding down, the SLCC Food Pantry is thankful for how far we’ve come in a relatively short time. This March will mark the pantry’s first-year anniversary. The pantry serves those in need, in the South Loop with nourishing food, every Saturday, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. When we took on the challenge of serving the community on a weekly basis, we weren’t sure how we were going to do it. We had a limited budget and few volunteers.

Sandwiches and salads donated by Pret A Manger

We took a leap of faith. We survived that first week, and the next, and the next. More people started to volunteer. People and organizations started donating food and money. Students from area high schools and colleges started asking if they could volunteer. Businesses like Pret A Manger, Panera Bread, and Dunkin’ Donuts provided us with day-old food items. Local community organization, Greater South Loop Association provided us with funds to purchase turkeys and hams for distribution during the holidays. Local business, Overflow Coffee Bar donated a percentage of their sales to the pantry. Overflow’s biggest contribution, however, was acting as a food drop-off locations. Patrons of Overflow have donated pounds of food almost ever week for months, which has been an enormous help and encouragement. We even had a visit from local food truck entrepreneur, GiGi’s Bake Shop!

Bags of food and volunteers at the ready

As we get closer to our anniversary date, we’re looking to expand our outreach by offering clothing (a need for some of our clients) along with food. More about this in the future.

The South Loop Community Church Food Pantry wants to give a big “thank you” to our friends and neighbors for helping us along the way!

To find out how you can help, please click on the “Donation and Volunteer Opportunities” tab above.