Peter Cintron, 68, is a retired house painter who stopped working about 10 years ago after sustaining an injury on the job. Since then, he has been working as a rideshare driver and visiting the Christian Life Center food pantry regularly to receive groceries.
“It’s not easy for people to make ends meet these days,” said Cintron. He lives alone in subsidized housing and has found groceries to be expensive lately. “I have my business, but it’s still difficult. Getting food from the pantry makes things a little easier.”
In 2006, leaders at Christian Life Center in west suburban Berwyn recognized the need for a food pantry in their close-knit community and partnered with the Greater Chicago Food Depository to start one. Today, they serve roughly 170 households every week.
A mother and her child receive fresh produce and shelf stable goods from the Christian Life Center pantry.
The pantry is more than just a place to receive groceries – it is a cornerstone of community support where neighbors come together to uplift one another. Volunteers and visitors alike describe it as a place of warmth, dignity and care, where no one is turned away.
“Coming to the pantry is a great experience because the people here treat you well and provide you with good-quality groceries,” said Cintron.
Pam Verr, the pantry coordinator at Christian Life Center food pantry, started volunteering in 2014. After becoming the pantry coordinator last year, she now manages over 100 volunteers, emphasizing community and service.
Volunteers gather and pray before the pantry service starts.
One of Verr’s goals is to ensure that guests always feel dignified when visiting the pantry. She and her volunteer staff treat guests with care and respect. “We want people to know that it’s okay to be here, and they deserve everything they’re getting,” she said. “There’s no place we’d rather be than here, helping people get the food they deserve.”
“Our goal is to help people. No matter who you are, you are welcome at our pantry, and we welcome you with open arms.”
Diana, 34, has been visiting the Christian Life Center food pantry for the past year. A mother of three young children, she is grateful for the food, diapers and supplies she receives from the pantry.
Diana and her daughter are grateful for the food they receive from the Christian Life Center pantry.
“We definitely make use of all the food we get here,” she said.
“It’s very hard to feed three children on your own, so receiving this food from the pantry is a blessing to us. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have this pantry.”
Maria Fernandez, 54, loves volunteering at the pantry because she sees firsthand the difference it makes in her community. Fernandez, who works in senior services for the city of Berwyn, started volunteering at Christian Life Center just over a year ago.
“I came to the pantry for the first time for work, but I kept coming back because I saw that there was a need,” she said. “I saw seniors I assist in my job coming to the pantry. It made me realize how much of a difference this place makes.”
Maria Fernandez helps Diana with her groceries.
Fernandez values the camaraderie among volunteers and the welcoming environment they create for guests. “Everyone here comes because they love to help,” she said. “It’s a community – young or old, it doesn’t matter. We’re all here to serve.”
Pam Verr shares similar sentiments. “I got lucky getting to work at a pantry like this,” she said. “The community really comes together to help each other, and that’s a beautiful thing to be a part of.”
“We couldn’t do any of it without the help of the Food Depository,” said Verr. “We are truly grateful for the support the Food Depository provides us. Not only do they provide us with food but they also provide information and resources. We are beyond grateful for all of it. It’s a true partnership. The Food Depository helps us help others, which is our ultimate goal.”
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