April Food Day in the Chicago Southland

April Food Day in the Chicago Southland

Tinley Park, Ill. – United Way of Metro Chicago – South-Southwest Suburban Region’s (UWMC – SSW) sixth annual April Food Day event is once again fueling up with a new goal to raise over 109,000 pounds of food. The United States Department of Agriculture defines a meal as 1.2 pounds of food. At 1.2 pounds of food per meal, 109,000 pounds would feed roughly 90,833 people one meal a day. Three meals per day would feed roughly 30,277 people.

The problem of hunger isn’t unique to any one region, state, city or town. One in six Americans don’t have access to enough food, and many are hard-working adults, with children or seniors that simply can’t make ends meet. More than 6.4 million children are living in food-insecure households. In Illinois, 64% of people that want help with food do not qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This is where food pantries come in and help. The summer months are a critical time to combat childhood hunger and reach kids when they no longer have access to meals at school. The need is constant and should not be ignored just because of season.
 

UWMC–SSW’s annual April Food Day has been lead by the Chicago Southland hospitality industry. The Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau and area hotels, schools, park districts and municipalities throughout the Chicago Southland region will be collecting food from now through April 25, 2018. “Last year’s goal reached 109,000 pounds, as we implore all to give in hopes of surpassing this amount,” said Jim Garrett, President / CEO for the Visit Chicago Southland. “If every business encouraged an employee drop box, as a group, think of what they could bring to the table by the 25th of April?”

Here is a preferred list of what is needed to help make an impact in the lives of others.
(Unopened, non-expired cans and boxes; no glass please)

100% Fruit and Vegetable Juice

Bagged Rice and Beans (canned and dry)

Canned Fruits and Vegetables (pull tops if possible)

Cereal, Oatmeal, Granola Bars

Chips, Cookies and/or Crackers

Canned Meats and Stews

Peanut Butter and Jelly

Infant Supplies (baby food, formula, diapers)

Laundry Detergent

Toiletries (soap, shampoo, conditioner,
deodorant, toothpaste, feminine products)

On April 25, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. all collected donations are to be dropped off at the Tinley Park Convention Center, 18451 Convention Center Dr., Tinley Park, Ill. 60477. The following area pantries will be the recipients of donations received on April Food Day: Ford Heights Community Service Organization; Hope Center, Blue Island; Restoration Ministries, Harvey; Rich Township, Richton Park; St. Irenaeus, Park Forest; Thornton Township, Harvey; Together We Cope, Tinley Park; and Respond Now, Chicago Heights. For the latest up-to-date information on the event, please visit https://uw-mc.org/event/april-food-day-2018/

The Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official destination management and marketing organization for Chicago’s 60 south and southwest suburbs. The Visit Chicago Southland markets the Chicago Southland region as a destination for leisure, meetings and conventions, group tour and sports events.
For more information, go to VisitChicagoSouthland.com

--XXX--

Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau

Loren Petrakis-Mueller - Communications Manager | 2304 173^rd Street   Lansing, IL 60438

Phone: 708-895-8200 Fax: 708-895-8288 Toll-free: 888-895-8233
Loren@VisitChicagoSouthland.com     VisitChicagoSouthland.com

Related Articles