By Marney Simon | Enterprise Staff
The village of Plainfield has joined forces with other local groups and the Northern Illinois Food Bank (NIFB), in an annual effort to fight hunger and educate the public on hunger in Illinois.
By issue of a special proclamation, Mayor Mike Collins declared September as “Hunger Action Month” in the village.
“The Northern Illinois Food Bank and over 200 food banks across the country are hosting awareness campaigns and events to bring attention and take action for the cause of hunger,” Collins said in the proclamation.
The NIFB provides meals to more than 71,500 people each week in the region, through a network of food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and youth and senior feeding programs. That network includes 80 facilities in Will County, including the Plainfield Area Interfaith Food Pantry.
Throughout the month of September, residents can donate non-perishable food items at drop boxes at the village hall, as well as at partner sites throughout the area.
Established by Feeding America, Hunger Action Month is a national initiative designed to mobilize the public to act on the issue of hunger. Every September, hunger relief organizations and their partners organize several events to raise awareness in their communities of the existence of hunger and food insecurity. Without awareness of a problem, people cannot act to remedy it.
The NIFB will host a pack-a-thon at its South Suburban Center at 171 South Larkin Ave. in Joliet on Sept. 21, where volunteers will participate in a day-long packing event to inspect, sort and package 50,000 pounds of donated food that will be distributed to our neighbors throughout Northern Illinois Food Bank’s 13-county service area.
Each $1 donated to the NIFB provides $8 worth of food to the needy.
Hunger Action Month in Plainfield is sponsored by the village, the C.W. Avery YMCA, the Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce, the Plainfield Park District, the Plainfield Public Library District, and Plainfield School District 202. Food collected at each of those sites will be donated to Bags of Hope, the Green Harvest Food Pantry, the Plainfield Area Interfaith Food Pantry, and the St. John Lutheran Church Food Pantry.