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people face hunger
Hunger Action Month encourages public to get involved in spreading awareness of hunger in our community “If it were not for the food I received today, I would not have any.” That’s a statement you might not expect to hear in Kane County, but it’s what both Stan in Big Rock and Mike in Aurora told Northern Illinois Food Bank recently. Hunger in the suburbs can easily go unnoticed because our hungry neighbor often looks like us: he lives on the same street; she may drive the same car; we may wear the same clothes. Your hungry neighbor could be your co-worker, your child’s classmate, or the man standing next to you in the checkout line of the grocery store. We may not see hunger in our community, but the reality is that one in eight of our suburban neighbors doesn’t have enough to eat. Northern Illinois Food Bank, a nonprofit organization based in Geneva, Ill., provides food to more than 60,000 people each week through a network of local food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and youth and senior programs in 13 counties. In Kane County, the food bank works with 68 feeding programs to ensure that our neighbors have food in their time of need. Last year Northern Illinois Food Bank provided more than 33 million meals to hungry neighbors. The food bank turns every dollar donated into six meals. September is Hunger Action Month. Northern Illinois Food Bank
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invites you to join us in generating awareness of the issue of hunger in our community. Learn more about the work Northern Illinois Food Bank is doing at SolveHungerToday.org. Join our volunteer corps by repacking food in our West Suburban Center in Geneva, or providing office or professional assistance. Start a dialogue about hunger with your family and co-workers. Hold a food drive or donate to our virtual food drive via our website. Every $1 donated provides six meals. Local businesses have also teamed up with the food bank to promote Hunger Action Month. Through the Give A Little, Feed A Lot campaign, shoppers can donate food and funds throughout September at Jewel-Osco locations. Hotel Arista in Naperville will light up orange for the month, the color for hunger awareness; Northern Illinois University will hold a food drive at its first home football game on Sept. 8; and California Pizza Kitchen, CityGate Grille, Colonial Cafe & Ice Cream, Francesca’s By The River, Lou Malnati’s, Nancy’s Pizza and Sugar Toad restaurants have joined the Dine Out For Hunger campaign, designating certain days where proceeds will benefit Northern Illinois Food Bank. Find Dine Out For Hunger details and coupons, as well as a calendar of “30 Days/30 Ways” to Get Involved at SolveHungerToday.org. With your support, we can ensure that our hungry neighbors have nutritious food in their time of need.