Aurora Food Pantry Meets Mighty Fundraising Goal for New Roof

Nearly a decade ago, Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry (AAIFP) purchased a building on Jericho Road in Aurora to better serve the needs of the community. Since then, the building’s roof has needed repairs and patching in order to prevent leaks into the pantry’s interior. However, after years of patching and delaying the costly undertaking of a replacement roof, the AAIFP had reached the end of the road in 2021, and a new roof was in dire need. The leaky roof began to jeopardize the safety of volunteers, staff, and the neighbors using the pantry’s services, not to mention the risk to the precious food supply at the pantry.

Newly hired to the pantry’s staff, Katie Arko, Senior Director of Development, started to fundraise for a roof replacement. “I feel incredibly lucky to be working at the Aurora Food Pantry,” said Arko. “It’s by far the most fulfilling job I’ve ever had and raising funds for the new roof was a welcome challenge.”

Because the pantry’s top concern is always to feed the families and individuals seeking help, the annual focus on fundraising has been for that purpose. But the roof became a priority, and a handful of organizations answered the call to fund the project. Thanks to the City of Aurora CDBG, Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, the Dunham Foundation and private donors the AAIFP will request bids for a new roof in February 2022.

The entire cost of the new roof was garnered in just six months, for a total of $275,000. “I am continually amazed and grateful for the tremendous amount of support the pantry receives from our community,” said Arko. “Without donations, a leaky roof would continue to be a reality for the pantry, jeopardizing our precious food supply, and this was certainly a problem that wasn’t going to go away.”

The garbage cans that collect rainwater in the conference room of the AAIFP will soon be removed and the pantry will be able to keep its doors open for years to come.

Thank you to all of those who helped replace the roof! AAIFP has been serving the Fox Valley community for over 40 years and is forever grateful for your continued support.