Chicago's largest anti-hunger rally takes place June 25th

With summer in full swing, the 31^st Annual Hunger Walk is just around the corner. Here’s what to expect in Jackson Park on the morning of June 25^th.

The Hunger Walk is an annual two-mile walk along the lakefront. Proceeds benefit the Food Depository’s partner agencies, including food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters throughout Cook County. Funds raised during Hunger Walk support these agencies’ operations throughout the year, ensuring that they can provide nutritious food to children, families, and individuals in need.

For some agencies, the funds raised at Hunger Walk cover all their operating expenses for the entire year. One such agency is featured at the beginning of the short video above, illustrating why a few individuals plan to participate in Hunger Walk. “It’s not only food, but also our equipment for our pantry we’re able to purchase with the funds from Hunger Walk,” says Marva Hines-Brown, who coordinates the food pantry at Covenant United Church of Christ in the southern suburb of South Holland.

Live entertainment from local performers enlivens the Hunger Walk. From the inspirational R&B of fourteen-year-old Lyr!c to the house and dance music of Jameisha Trice and Dana Devine, the morning’s performers will offer a variety of upbeat sounds to kick off the day. Additional performers include T Star and the Evanston School of Rock House Band.

A children’s tent provides activities for the youngest Hunger Walk participants, including face painting. Participants are welcome to continue the fun with barbecues and picnics in the park: a designated grilling area will be available along the course. Sponsor tents will also be present, offering giveaways and information from the Hunger Walk’s premier sponsors: ABC7 Chicago, ConAgra Foods, Griffith Foods, Jewel-Osco, Kraft Heinz Company, and Tyson Foods.

Registration for Hunger Walk opens at 7 a.m., with the walk starting at 8:30 a.m. Join us at Chicago’s largest anti-hunger rally, or make a contribution to support a participating team. Learn more at chicagosfoodbank.org/hungerwalk.

Record high audit score demonstrates a commitment to food safety

The Food Depository's warehouse meets stringent standards for food safety.

Food safety is a priority for the Greater Chicago Food Depository team. As part of this commitment to ensuring that the food we distribute is safe, the Food Depository undergoes a rigorous annual assessment: the Distribution Center Food Safety and Quality Systems Audit, administered by Merieux NutriSciences.

“We strive to be leaders in food safety, excelling beyond the status quo,” says Michael Goss, Manager of Food Safety. While the Food Depository has consistently scored above 98% on this assessment, this year set a new record. The Food Depository achieved a score of 99.1% on the food safety audit, its highest score ever.

This year, the audit requirements were significantly revised, increasing the challenge for the Food Depository team. In a short amount of time, they conducted a hazard analysis, reviewing every process in the warehouse and documenting how they control and eliminate all hazards.  Some of the crucial programs that are used to control hazards include employee training, warehouse best practices, temperature control, and vendor approval procedures.

Preparation for the food safety audit involved a coordinated effort for staff. With over 200,000 square feet of warehouse space, the Food Depository facility contains an ever-changing variety of shelf-stable and fresh food.  Both the facility and documentation are covered in the audit, which comprises a 470-point evaluation. Every element of the operation, from equipment to sanitation to pest control and more, is included in the audit.

According to Michael Goss, the outstanding success on the food safety audit goes beyond a checklist of best practices: it’s part of the culture. “Food safety culture really became the focus,” he says. “There was a lot of ongoing training and support. The entire organization really embraced the culture and it made a difference. Everybody really cares and works as a team.”

Sheila Creghin, Vice President of Operations, agrees that the team’s united effort made the difference: “The audit results represent the dedicated commitment of our great team day in and day out to ensure the food we distribute to our partner agencies in our community is safe for the clients we serve.”

Congratulations to the Food Depository team on ensuring safe and wholesome food for the community!

Food Depository to participate in veteran Stand Down, honors those who served

From June 10-11, the Greater Chicago Food Depository will be participating in the Veteran Stand Down at General Jones Armory. The event provides homeless veterans with food, clothing, shelter, medical services, and other assistance. The veterans will receive a hot meal prepared by Chicago’s Community Kitchens – the Food Depository’s 14-week food service job-training program. The Food Depository will also provide bags of food to take with them as they leave.

The most recent Stand Down in November provided hot meals for 800 veterans and volunteers and distributed over 6,900 pounds of food. Each of the 609 veterans that attended received bags of shelf stable food and fresh produce. The Food Depository expects to serve 750 veterans at this summer’s Stand Down.

The need among veterans in Cook County is significant. Over 16,000 veterans in our community live at or below the poverty line, and 18% of households that turn to the Food Depository’s network for assistance include at least one person who has served or is currently serving in the Armed Forces. In addition to the Stand Downs, the Food Depository operates food pantries at two VA facilities, the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center and the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital. These food pantries distribute food to over 3,000 veterans in need each month. The Food Depository also provides SNAP application assistance to veterans. 

To learn more about the Food Depository’s response to hunger among veterans, visit chicagosfoodbank.org/veterans.