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Feed Your Neighbors This Holiday Season, Donate To Food Pantries

By Patty Wetli | November 16, 2016 9:47am | Updated on November 17, 2016 10:41am
 Donate food, money or time to neighborhood pantries this holiday season.
Donate food, money or time to neighborhood pantries this holiday season.
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OLD IRVING PARK — As families prepare to gather for the holidays, Chicagoans can help make sure none of their neighbors goes hungry, not just during this festive season but year-round. 

Neighborhood pantries are accepting donations of food, toys, warm clothing and more to help members of the community in need.

Irving Park Community Food Pantry, 3801 N. Keeler Ave.

The Irving Park Community Food Pantry has holiday distributions scheduled in November and December, including all the fixings for a holiday dinner.

The greatest need is for donations of juice, cranberry sauce, canned yams, vegetables, instant potatoes, cake mixes, Jell-O and pumpkin pie filling.

Clients are also provided a toy, book and stocking stuffer for each child, ages infant to 12 years old. Gift donations for older children, especially boys, are particularly needed. Soccer balls and basketballs are among the suggested options.

Unwrapped new toys and food donations can be delivered to the pantry, 3801 N. Keeler Ave., 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays or call 773-283-6262 for additional office hours.

The deadline for contributing toys is Dec. 16. Volunteers are needed to collect toys, organize the toy room, and help with the toy distribution on Dec. 21. For more information, email Sara Yoest at sara.yoest74@gmail.com.

Common Pantry, 3744 N. Damen Ave.

Slots are already filled to distribute turkey dinners but donations are always welcome — 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesdays.

Among the most wanted items: cereal, soup, oatmeal, rice, canned fruit, vegetable and cooking oil and condiments.

Can openers are another high demand item, as are diapers and baby wipes. Toiletries including toothpaste, deodorant, soap and shampoo are also welcome.

The pantry doesn't typically accept clothing, but is collecting new or gently used winter hats, gloves, scarves and socks for both adults and children.

Friendship Center: Lincoln Square, 2733 W. Lawrence Ave.; North Park, 3448 W. Foster Ave.

Volunteers are needed to assist with distributions at both pantries: Thursdays in Lincoln Square and Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in North Park. Contact lsfc@friendshipcenterchicago.org or npfc@friendshipcenterchicago.org for more information.

Donations can be accepted during distribution hours: 1:30-5 p.m. Monday, 10 a.m. to noon and 1-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, 1-5:30 p.m. Friday in North Park; 3-7 p.m. Thursday in Lincoln Square.

The Friendship Pet Food Pantry operates out of the Lincoln Square location, 9-11 a.m. the third Saturday of every month.

Donations of cat and dog food, cat litter, toys, collars and leashes, stainless steel bowls and other accessories are always needed. Drop off during distribution hours for either the pet food pantry or Friendship Center.

Donation are also accepted at the 47th Ward Office, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, 4237 N. Lincoln Ave.

Ravenswood Community Services, 4550 N. Hermitage Ave.

Food and toiletry items are always welcome.

Volunteers are needed to assist with a variety of efforts:

• Help unload deliveries from the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

• Set up and operate a monthly outdoor market-style pantry.

• Distribute groceries and prepare and serve a weekly community meal that provides dinner to 250-350 neighbors every Tuesday.

Contact volunteer@ravenswoodcommunityservices.org or call 773-769-0282 for more information.

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