James Gant, 64, lives just a block away from the Free Food Market, the food pantry at The First Presbyterian Church of Chicago in Woodlawn. He first discovered the pantry while walking to the park one day and noticing a line outside. Curious, he stepped inside – and received free groceries. He’s been visiting the pantry ever since.
Gant, who is a disabled veteran and unable to work, says the pantry has become essential for him and his neighbors. It's also vital for him and his 18-year-old daughter, who just graduated from high school.
“This really helps out the community. It helps me and people like me who can’t get around to work. And it’s hard to afford groceries these days,” said Gant. “It’s really great for the neighborhood to have this pantry, because the truth is, a lot of people need it.”
A volunteer helps James Gant pick out groceries to take home. Photos by Kristy Ramsey for the Food Depository.
Meeting the need
In partnership with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, The First Presbyterian Church of Chicago opened the Free Food Market in 2020 as a response to the rising hunger they witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, the pantry serves about 250 households each week. Gail Robinson, director of the pantry, says the need has not diminished since they opened.
“Our lines have stayed as long as they were in the pandemic,” she said. “People really need this food, and we are happy to be able to provide it for them.”
At a time when nearly one in five households in the Chicago metro area struggle with food insecurity, pantries like the Free Food Market are a critical source of fresh, healthy food that many families otherwise could not afford.
Eva Johnson gets ready to take home the foods she needs for the week from the Free Food Market.
Building a stronger food system
The Free Food Market is just one part of the The First Presbyterian Church of Chicago's mission to address hunger in Woodlawn. In 2020, a council of neighbors and local gardeners came together to plan for long-term food security in their community. Today, the pantry is supported by a greenhouse, community gardens and partnerships with other food programs, all working toward a sustainable, soil-to-table system.
“We want to do everything we can to tap into the resources we have here in the community to feed people, and to also give them a place where they know they’re welcome and they’ll be taken care of,” Robinson said.
Volunteers are a big part of this effort, including high school students from nearby Mount Carmel High School, who volunteer every week, helping with setup on Wednesdays and food distribution days on Thursdays.
“We are so grateful for our volunteers,” said Robinson. “We couldn’t provide for all these people without them. They really help us create the community of care we envision.”
The Free Food Market provides fresh produce and shelf-stable goods for the Woodlawn community.
Struggling to get by
Another neighbor who relies on the Free Food Market, Laura Smolenski, 57, lives in the neighborhood with her 23-year-old son, Spencer. Both are disabled and unable to work.
“I’m really grateful to have the pantry here,” said Smolenski. “It’s hard to get most places in my wheelchair, so it’s great to have a pantry to go to that’s so close.”
Even with the help of the pantry, Smolenski still finds it hard to make ends meet. She worries about the possibility of future cuts to her benefits, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps).
Lauren Smolenski is grateful for the food the pantry provides her with.
“I’m barely making it as it is. I have medical issues. I have no income, so I rely on food stamps and disability. If they were taken away, I don’t know what I would do,” Smolenski said. “The food pantry is amazing, but it isn’t enough to feed me and my son.”
“Many of our pantry guests rely on SNAP,” said Robinson. “They are fearful of what might happen to their benefits in the future."
"The more benefits get cut, the more people will need to utilize the pantry. But we will stay strong and continue to be there for our community when they need us.”
A community that cares
For neighbors like James Gant and Laura Smolenski, the Free Food Market is more than a place to get groceries, it’s proof that their community sees them and cares for them. In Woodlawn, the Free Food Market is a reminder that even when times are hard, neighbors don’t have to face them alone.
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