CANARYVILLE — Every Wednesday, more than 100 families who can't afford to put dinner on the table wait for the storied food pantry of Union Avenue United Methodist Church to open.
For decades, the thousands of pounds of food inside — donated by the Greater Food Depository of Chicago — has been a lifeline for neighborhood folks who call the church the “M.E.,” a nickname from the church’s Methodist-Episcopalian days.
Here's a look at photos from Wednesday’s pantry scene at 4350 S. Union Ave.
The line forms early outside the pantry, open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday.
As they wait their turn to pick up their share of food — several bags or boxes filled with meat, grains, canned goods, eggs and milk — locals pick through piles of donated clothing and shoes.
On a typical pantry day, volunteers allow visitors to walk through the church hall, picking through boxes of food as if it were a grocery store.
On this pantry day, the week before Christmas, volunteers prepackaged holiday boxes and left a note for families:
"Dear Friends," the note reads. "We hope you enjoy this Christmas basket. We wish you peace and joy in this blessed season ..."
Ray Carey, the church’s longtime caretaker, is the man behind the food pantry.
If you're standing in line, he's the guy who greets you, ushers you through the door and — if you need it — offers a hug.
"I tell them, 'If you had nothing to smile about when you got here, you will when you leave the church today,'" Carey said.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
