How We Distribute Food To Chicagoland Food Pantries

Here to support our neighbors in need with resources to end hunger and reduce poverty.

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How We Help Our Chicago and Cook County Neighbors

Distributing food and hope.

We partner with a large network of food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and programs to distribute food and resources for any of our neighbors facing hunger.

In addition to providing help to anyone in need, we support and administer programs tailored towards specific populations. Learn more about how we help:

Youth & Families

Read about our year-round and seasonal programs that provide support to children, teens and their families.

Older Adults

See how we ensure older adults receive access to the nutrition needed for healthy aging.

Veterans

Find out how we provide food and support for Cook County veterans who have served our country.

Health Partnerships

Learn how we partner with community health centers to help patients gain access to nutritious food.

Anabel Hernandez

program director at Union League Boys & Girls Club of Chicago

“We’re grateful that the Food Depository provides enough food so that we always have enough to feed our kids.

For some of these kids, this might be the only vegetable they get all day. It’s not uncommon for kids to come up for seconds or even thirds.

We can do more for the kids because we don’t have to worry about where their food is going to come from. It is a huge help. Because of the Food Depository, we can spend our time doing things like leading programs and creating relationships with the kids. We are very grateful.”

Anabel Hernandez

program director at Union League Boys & Girls Club of Chicago

A Healthy Community Starts with Food

As many as 1 in 5 Chicago area families face food insecurity. Through innovative programs and services, we’re working to ensure no one goes hungry and to create lasting change for a stronger, shared future.

Together, we can end hunger and its root causes.

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Delivering Food and Hope Across Chicago and Cook County

We distribute food to our network of partners through donations, purchases and federal government programs. Our employees and volunteers provide the essential resources our communities need to thrive.

See how we provide food to pantries and support programs across our community.

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Where Our Food Comes From

The food we distribute is donated, purchased or received through federal government programs. We purchase food in bulk to meet the needs of our community and ensure the availability of nutritious and culturally-relevant options.

Preparing For Distribution

Volunteers help prepare food for distribution. Food is inspected, sorted, repacked and labeled before our fleet of climate-controlled vehicles distributes food safely to food pantries and programs throughout Cook County.

Delivering On Our Mission

Our partners serve food in a variety of ways depending on the needs of their clients. Most food is distributed across soup kitchens, shelters, food pantries and mobile food distribution. Many of our partners offer additional services, including mental health, housing assistance, and benefits outreach.

Advancing Solutions That Address The Root Causes of Hunger

In addition to connecting our neighbors with healthy food, we work to address the root causes of hunger—poverty, systemic inequity and structural racism. The Food Depository helps connect people to benefits, provides paid job training and advocates for change. We also strive to bolster the emergency food system by investing in partners across our network.

See How We Distribute Food to Our Neighbors through Community Stories

Hear from your community about the impact of the nutritious food and resources they receive.

We Can’t End Hunger Alone

Join us in alleviating hunger and reducing poverty in our community.

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