The largest single-day food drive in America is coming up this Saturday, May 13, 2023. Local letter carriers are working with food banks across the country to hold the Stamp Out Hunger food drive.Saturday’s drive comes at a time when inflation is one of the roadblocks affecting millions of families and also preventing food pantries from keeping their shelves stocked to help people in need.
According to Feeding America, food banks are buying nearly as much food as they did last year but paying about 40% more for that food now. Eddie Galvan, the Program Director at the Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry, believes the pantry is paying even more than 40% for food now compared to a year ago. In the most recent consumer price index from the Labor Department, food prices in grocery stores in March were 10% higher than in March of last year. The cost of food in restaurants is almost 7% higher.
This drive is one way you can help those in Aurora who need help. Fill a bag with non-perishable food items and place it near your mailbox before your normal mail delivery time, and your letter carrier will pick it up. A lot of donations in Aurora will go directly to the Aurora Food Pantry. The pantry staff, with the help of hundreds of volunteers, feeds about 1,000 families a week.
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin Visits Aurora Food Pantry Announces $700,000 Grant
A $700,000 federal grant will allow the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry to bring hot, nourishing meals to people who need them. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin secured the funding and came to the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry the first week of April to make the announcement. “This grant will allow us to bring food to the people,” said Shannon Cameron, Executive Director of the Aurora Food Pantry. The program will be called Mobile Meals and will include the buildout of a commercial kitchen to prepare hot meals. That food will be put on a food truck that will go into area neighborhoods aimed at reaching the most underserved and vulnerable in our community.
Cameron, who has been the Executive Director of the pantry since March 2021, said, “Through conversations with our neighbors, we discovered many elderly in our community don’t have full working kitchens. They were asking us how to cook items they would receive from the pantry. The most vulnerable need to be taken care of,” said Cameron. “In the neighborhoods, we come to them.” Right now, statistics show more than 1 million Illinois residents are food insecure. According to Feeding America, there are more than 62,000 food-insecure residents in DuPage County and 38,000 in Kane County. The pantry staff, with the help of hundreds of volunteers, feeds about 1,000 families a week.
“We live in the richest nation in the world, yet over 35 million Americans are still experiencing food insecurity,” said Senator Dick Durbin. “While Congress works to address this public health crisis, residents continuously rely on organizations like Aurora Food Pantry. This federal funding will allow them to expand their critical services to even more Illinoisans. I’ll keep working in Washington to ensure no family has to wonder where their next meal will come from.”
Cameron hopes to partner with various other agencies that are serving the most vulnerable across DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Will and DeKalb counties. “These partnerships will allow us to reach populations that have traditionally been underserved. We plan to create a calendar of where the Mobile Meals truck will travel so people can depend on the service on a weekly basis,” she said. The hope is that the partnerships will bring in new resources for regular pantry neighbors. Cameron added, “As a community partner, we know we can’t solve hunger alone. It takes a community to take care of the community. Together is the only way we can help our community thrive.”
The grant will give the pantry the ability to add a commercial kitchen. The kitchen will not only provide warm, nutritious meals; it will also allow the staff to create meal prep bags to have on the shelves of the pantry. These bags will have all the ingredients needed to cook a well-balanced meal for families, along with full instructions. Cameron said, “So many of those we serve are one-parent households with sometimes multiple jobs or intergenerational caretaking responsibilities; if we can lighten that load and help people prepare food for their families, we want to do that.” The Mobile Meals program will launch in 2024. It is the first time in its 42-year history that the pantry has received a federal earmark.
2022 Volunteer of the Year Award
The Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry is pleased to announce the Volunteer of the Year award, dedicated to long-time volunteer Claire Perez.
The recipient of the 2022 Volunteer of the Year award goes to Linda Pfeiffer! Pfeiffer has been volunteering at the food pantry since 2009 and has seen the growth of the pantry from when it was located at Hesed House to its location now on 1110 Jericho Road.
“Receiving this award was totally unexpected and my reward is being here and being with everyone involved at the pantry,” said Pfeiffer, “It is just a good place to be!”
After 34 years of teaching, Pfeiffer knew she wanted to give back to her community and has spent her retirement just so! “Linda is always happy to help those in her community,” said Marcy Robles, Volunteer Coordinator. “I’ve worked with her to learn about different cultures and needs to help our neighbors. She is a great person to work with because you know she is doing it with her whole heart.”
Arriving at 7:30 AM three times a week, Linda starts stocking the freezer with food for distribution, and at 10:00 AM when neighbors start to arrive, she greets and helps them with frozen protein options. “I look forward to being here [Aurora Food Pantry], I look forward to seeing the neighbors and the staff I work with and I feel we are really meeting a critical need,” said Pfeiffer.
Not only does Linda help with distribution but she is also a part of a few committees at the pantry. She helps plan the Radiothon silent auction and serves on the development committee where she helps with various fundraising aspects throughout the year.
Having been a volunteer at the food pantry for nearly 14 years, Linda has become an integral part of making sure operations run smoothly. “Linda is a devoted volunteer who cares about the community she lives in, she is a great volunteer who is always ready to help where it’s needed,” said Eddie Galvan, Programs Director.
Congratulations, Linda, and thank you for your service!
Despensa emergente para niños : sábado 7 de enero de 2023 | 10:00 – 12:00 | Iglesia Bautista Emanuel, 742 Claim St. Aurora
Despensa móvil de empoderamiento de la mujer : jueves, 12 de enero de 2023 | 14:00 – 15:00 | Iglesia del Calvario de Naperville, 9S200 Illinois Rte 59, Naperville
SE NECESITAN BOLSAS DE PLÁSTICO/PAPEL
Durante la distribución, usamos bolsas de plástico para llevar los comestibles. Nos estamos quedando sin fondos y estamos buscando donaciones o proporcionando las suyas propias para las próximas distribuciones. ¡Gracias!
Kids’ Pop Up Pantry: Saturday, January 7, 2023 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Iglesia Bautista Emanuel, 742 Claim St. Aurora
Women’s Empowerment Mobile Pantry: Thursday, January 12, 2023 | 2:00 – 3:00 PM | Calvary Church of Naperville, 9S200 Illinois Rte 59, Naperville
Plastic/Paper Bags Needed
During distribution, we use plastic bags to carry groceries. We are running low and are seeking donations or providing your own for upcoming distributions. Thank you!
My Favorite Holiday Dish: Pozole
Marcy Robles, Volunteer Coordinator at the pantry, shares her favorite dish during the holidays!
My Favorite Holiday Dish: Buttercreams & Welsh Rarebit
We all celebrate in different ways with different traditions. But nearly every holiday memory you create this year will involve food. Executive Director, Shannon Cameron, shares her favorite holiday dishes and traditions!
Buttercreams Recipe
Ingredients:
2lb granulated sugar
¼ lb butter (more for buttering pan)
1 pint table cream
pinch of cream of tartar
12 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions:
Blend sugar, butter, table cream, and cream of tartar in a sauce pan. Then cook slowly without stirring unil soft ball stage (235-245 degrees Fahrenheit using a candy thermometer). Pour into a buttered sponge cake pan (any large sheet pan with sides). Let cool thoroughly. Once cooled, pour back into mixing bowl and beat until ready to form into balls. This stage takes a long time, but the change happens quickly! You will see it turn from a cream colored to more white that’s when to stop! If it goes too long, it will turn to sugar. Roll into half inch in diameter balls and place on a cookie sheet. Refrigerate balls. While balls are cooling, melt chocolate chips in a double boiler. Once balls are cool, dip the tops of the buttercreams into chocolate and refrigerate to harden. Store in a cool place like the refrigerator.
Welsh Rarebit Recipe
Ingredients:
1 heaping Tablespoon butter
1 ¼ lbs. Longhorn cheese sliced finely
1 cup cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper (to taste)
3 egg yolks beaten
3 beaten egg whites until the reach stiff peaks
paprika
saltine crackers or toast
Instructions:
Separate egg whites and yolks. Beat egg yolks and set aside. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and set aside. Put butter, cheese in a double boiler and belt over boiling water. Add cream when cheese and butter is thoroughly mixed in. Add a teaspoon of the cheese mixture to the egg yolks to temper them. Stir the egg yolks quickly so they don’t cook. Slowly begin to add egg yolks to cheese mixture, again careful not to scrable the yolks. Stir constantly. Add salt, pepper, and paprika to taste (you can always add more later). Lastly, add beaten, stiff, egg whites. Cook until thick. Can be spread over toast or dollops placed on saltine crackers with salt side down. Sprinkle with paprika to add color and flavor.
My Favorite Holiday Dish: Tuna Casserole
We all celebrate in different ways with different traditions. But nearly every holiday memory you create this year will involve food. Becky, Community Impact Manager, shares her favorite dish with you all!
Tuna Casserole Recipe
Ingredients:
Two cans of tuna, drained well
One can of cream of mushroom soup
One large bag of regular potato chips, crushed
Instructions:
Combine all these ingredients in a greased casserole dish.
Bake at 350 until golden brown on top, usually about 25min.
My Favorite Holiday Dish: Little Pig Souffle
We all celebrate in different ways with different traditions. But nearly every holiday memory you create this year will involve food. Katie Arko, Senior Director of Development, shares her favorite holiday meal and traditions!
Little Pig Souffle Recipe
Ingredients:
6 slices of white bread, cubed
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 lb. sausage
4-6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
Instructions:
Brown sausage and let cool. In a 9×13 pan, put 1 layer of bread, 1 layer of sausage and 1 layer of cheese: beat eggs, milk and mustard. Pour over the layered stuff in the pan. Let stand overnight (in the fridge).
No tendremos despensas móviles (despensa emergente para niños y despensa móvil para el empoderamiento de la mujer) durante el mes de diciembre. Las próximas despensas móviles serán:
Despensa emergente para niños : sábado 7 de enero de 2023 | 10:00 – 12:00 | Iglesia Bautista Emanuel, 742 Claim St. Aurora
Despensa móvil de empoderamiento de la mujer : jueves, 12 de enero de 2023 | 14:00 – 15:00 | Iglesia del Calvario de Naperville, 9S200 Illinois Rte 59, Naperville
CIERRE POR VACACIONES
Estaremos cerrados del 26 de diciembre de 2022 al 2 de enero de 2023 y reabriremos para distribución el martes 3 de enero de 2023. Durante las distribuciones de la semana anterior, del 19 al 22 de diciembre, daremos alimentos adicionales para cubrir la semana libre.
Pantry To-Go no estará disponible del 26 al 30 de diciembre. Las entregas se reanudarán el miércoles 4 de enero de 2023.
EDDIE GALVÁN
¡Eddie ha estado en la despensa durante 10 años y nos gustaría honrar su dedicación y servicio! Por favor, deje un comentario o gracias por Eddie. Complete este formulario antes del jueves 3 de diciembre de 2022.
¿Tú o alguien que conoces ha hecho recientemente un plato que fuera *Chef’s Kiss* fabuloso? ¡Queremos presentarte a ti y a tu receta en nuestro primer Zine (micro-revista)!
¡La solicitud de beca de la Fundación Waubonsee Community College, para usar durante el año académico 2023-2024, está abierta! Debido a que los criterios de elegibilidad varían ampliamente de una beca a otra, se recomienda encarecidamente a todos los estudiantes que presenten su solicitud. Una solicitud le otorga consideración para todas las becas para las que puede ser elegible.
Envíe su solicitud en línea utilizando nuestro software de becas. Puede guardar su solicitud de beca sin enviarla, para que pueda trabajar a su propio ritmo. ¡330 ganadores de becas recibirán una porción de $313,875 en fondos totales disponibles!
Durante la distribución, usamos bolsas de plástico para llevar los comestibles. Nos estamos quedando sin fondos y estamos buscando donaciones o proporcionando las suyas propias para las próximas distribuciones. ¡Gracias!
Saturday’s drive comes at a time when inflation is one of the roadblocks affecting millions of families and also preventing food pantries from keeping their shelves stocked to help people in need.
The recipient of the 2022 Volunteer of the Year award goes to Linda Pfeiffer! Pfeiffer has been volunteering at the food pantry since 2009 and has seen the growth of the pantry from when it was located at Hesed House to its location now on 1110 Jericho Road.