Find Food Pantries and Food Programs in Chicago and Cook County

You’ll find that our community partners are kind, welcoming and respectful. No one should be embarrassed or ashamed about seeking out food assistance in their time of need. Many people who experience food insecurity – a lack of consistent access to nutritious food – find that it’s a temporary situation. We all have our own challenges. Everyone needs a little help in life, and everyone is welcome at our programs.

Neighbors are NOT required to provide ID to receive service. Some partners may ask for ID depending on additional services provided and/or to verify that you reside in their service area and/or to ensure you do not exceed the permitted number of monthly visits, but no one is required to show ID to receive support. If in doubt, call ahead.

We also suggest that you bring a cart or sturdy bag to carry your groceries home if you are not driving. Some items, such as canned goods, rice and potatoes can get heavy.

Most food pantry and grocery distributions use an electronic intake system called Link2Feed that tracks basic information about visitors to the program. Most meal programs simply log the number of visitors at each gathering.

Only trained and authorized staff and volunteers at the food program and food bank can access this information on visitors. Link2Feed has best-in-class security protection to make sure no unauthorized users have access to this information.

Staff use this information to learn about the level of need in our community, who we may not be reaching, and how we can improve our services to end hunger in Cook County. It also reduces the amount of physical paperwork required, making intake faster and more secure.

Our map shows several kinds of food programs. While most of these programs are open to anyone who lives in Cook County, some of them have special requirements. It’s always best to call the program before you go.

• Food pantries and grocery distributions are the most common type of programs. They offer a variety of food you can prepare at home.
• Hot meal programs and soup kitchens offer prepared meals you can eat on-site during their hours.
• Outdoor grocery distributions include programs like our mobile pantries and Producemobile trucks that distribute food at a community site, like a church parking lot.
• Older adult/senior programs are open to people aged 60 and older.
• Shelters offer meals to people experiencing homelessness. If you need shelter, call 311 in Chicago or 877-426-6515 in suburban Cook County for help.

Some types of programs are not shown on our map. These include special programs for veterans, students, and people with certain health conditions.

Every program offers different food. You can expect a mixture of fresh produce and packaged food.

Some food programs offer a waiver so that a friend or family member can pick up food for you. This can help people with disabilities and older people. Call the program to find out what they offer. A small number of programs offer home delivery.

If you live within the city of Chicago, you can also call 311 to connect with other forms of food assistance that offer home delivery.

No. Our pantries and programs are proud to serve anyone who asks for food. We understand that there are several circumstances in which someone might need help. We offer food to anyone who asks for it, regardless of the circumstances.

No. We work hard to ensure there is enough food for everyone. If you worry about affording your next meal, please visit a food pantry or program in our network. We are here to help.

Yes. Our pantries and programs help anyone in need of food, regardless of criminal history.

No. We believe that food is a basic human right. We proudly serve anyone in need of food.

If any information needs to be updated on your map listing, please contact the Partner Services team.