Updated January 29, 2023

Location: 1938 S. Mannheim Road, Westchester
Open to Clients:
Every Wednesday, 4-7pm, (4:30-7pm, starting in March), and
Every Saturday, 9-11am

CONSIDER GIVING A SECURE ONLINE DONATION HERE
For your donation, use the Drop Down Box on the PayPal donation page and select –
‘General Fund’, or
‘Wet Nose Pantry‘.

SOUPER BOWL 2023
Saturday, February 4, 2023, 4 – 8pm at Divine Providence School, 2550 Mayfair Avenue, Westchester
Adults = $30; Children ages 6-12 = $15, Children age 5 & under = Free
Click here to buy your tickets on PayPal.
Enter the total amount of your tickets and then type in your ticket order, i.e. $75, 2 Adults, 1 Child.  Be sure to include all your contact information.  Your name will be put on a prepaid list that will be at the door when you check in for the event.

This is the Westchester Food Pantry’s 4th Annual Souper Bowl fundraiser! This delicious tasting event will be featuring 16 local chefs and their best soups, along with desserts, beverages, live music and many raffles and silent auction prizes!

Prepaid tickets are also available for purchase during the Pantry’s open hours on Wednesdays 4-7pm and Saturdays 9-11am at 1938 S. Mannheim Road, Westchester.  Please join us for this fun, family-friendly community event!  All proceeds benefit the Westchester Food Pantry.

To volunteer for this event, please click HERE.


YEAR ROUND VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES
SIGN-UP FOR FEBRUARY, click HERE


WHO ARE THE PANTRY’S LEADERS


PANTRY UPDATE
For the calendar year ended December 31, 2022, the Pantry served 4,895 client households, or about 16,000 individuals.  (This represents a 63% increase over 2021; a 19% increase over 2020 (‘the height of the pandemic’) and a 85% increase over 2019.)  Our clients were provided 183 tons of food, which equates to about 300,000 meals, at a retail value of nearly $1.8 million.  Each client received over $350 worth of groceries, every time they came to the Pantry.

Both in August and October, the Pantry served 436 client households. This is the most we served in any one month.  On December 7, the Pantry served 86 client households.  This is the most we served in any one client service day.  

Many activities happened in 2022.  Please see the slides from Westchester Food Pantry’s January 23, 2022 Annual Meeting.  Click HERE.

We continue to make a difference!

PET FOOD AND BAGS WITH HANDLES ARE STILL NEEDED

We can accept these items at the our building, 1938 S. Mannheim Road, Westchester, Wednesdays 2-7pm, Fridays 12-2pm and Saturdays 9-11am.

Please DO NOT leave any items, including food, outside our building or at any of our donation drop-off sites.  Questions?  Please email us


The Pantry allows volunteers that are 16 years of age and older.  But, if you are sick, sneezing, coughing or have been in close contact with someone who is or was recently sick, please do not come to the Pantry.

The Pantry follows any the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Cook County Department of Public Health.  Masks are now optional for all volunteers and clients.  Masks and disposable gloves are available.  Safety is of the upmost importance while volunteering at the Pantry.

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The Westchester Food Pantry serves as a resource throughout the year for those who are hungry and food insecure.   Supported by the generous donations and work of our community – residents, organizations and businesses – we are able to supplement food needs in our Village and neighboring communities.


Vision Statement
A community without hunger.

Mission Statement
To provide a reliable source of healthy food assistance for those in need, living in the communities served by the Westchester Food Pantry.

Read some testimonials about the Pantry.

Receive Food

LOCATED AT:

1938 S. Mannheim Road
Westchester, IL 60154
(get directions)

Please park in the parking lot on the north side of the building.

OPEN EVERY:
Wednesday, from 4-7pm (4:30-7pm, starting March 1), and
Saturday, from 9-11am.

COMMUNITIES PROUDLY SERVED:

  • Bellwood (60104)
  • Berkeley (60163)
  • Broadview (60155)
  • Hillside (60162)
  • Hines (60141)
  • La Grange Park (60526)
  • Westchester (60154)
  • Western Springs (60558)


RULES FOR CLIENTS – Effective June 12, 2021

  • At 1938 S. Mannheim Road, park in the parking lot on the north side of the building and come into the building.  We will be practicing social distancing and you must wear a mask.  Safety is very important to us.  If there are too many clients in the building, at one time, we may ask you to stay in your car or possibly ask you to leave and come back later at a determined time.
  • Please do not enter the building any earlier than 8:50 am on Saturdays and 3:50 pm on Wednesdays.
  • Inside the building, children must stay next to their parent/guardian at all times.
  • No Weapons or Firearms are allowed on the premises.
  • You MUST prove residency in our service area by showing the following:
    • A valid, not expired, driver’s license or state ID card with an address in our service area, OR
    • Two current (within the past 60 days) utility bills with your name (must match state ID) and an address in our service area. Utility bills accepted include gas, electric, water, refuse, phone and cable/Internet, OR
    • A lease or mortgage bill in your name (must match state ID) with an address in our service area.
  • Firearm Owners ID cards, fishing licenses and other recreational IDs will not be accepted.
  • You must show proof of residency with valid identification (see above) every time you visit the Pantry. NO EXCEPTIONS.
  • We serve each address ONCE per calendar month, regardless of how many people live at that address. When you check in, please make sure ALL members of your household are registered.
  • Households violating the one-visit-per-month rule will not be served.
  • You will be provided with a grocery cart full of healthy food options and a volunteer will help load the groceries into your car. At this time, we are using a hybrid shopping model, meaning there are pre-bagged food along with some client choice.
  • Households who intentionally try to violate any Westchester Food Pantry policy will be at risk of being banned from using our services.
  • Any client who is physically or verbally abusive to other clients or volunteers will be asked to leave.
  • The Westchester Food Pantry is a volunteer-run organization that relies on donations to stock its shelves. We do not have unlimited food resources. We reserve the right to refuse service at any time and for any reason.
  • In addition, our Wet Nose Pantry is open the same time as the Westchester Food Pantry. Please let the volunteers you have a furry family member(s), and pet food will be added to your grocery cart.  Just like the regular pantry, the Wet Nose Pantry will service you once each calendar month and must reside in our service area.
  • We are not affiliated with the Village of Westchester. We are an immigrant safe location.

Volunteer

Time for you to become an Awesome Volunteer?

Volunteering at the Westchester Food Pantry can be a very rewarding experience.  You will make new friends, feel part of a team, improve your community and make a huge difference to your neighbors in need.

There are a many of ways to volunteer at the Pantry, see below.  Volunteers must be able to work with diverse clientele, in a non-judgmental and caring way.  All clientele information is kept confidential. Everyone at the Pantry is treated  with respect and dignity.

Please email the Westchester Food Pantry, if you have any questions.

Opportunities Available:

Sign Up Genius:  For many volunteering opportunities, the Pantry is now using Sign Up Genius.

SEASONAL/OUTREACH/FUNDRAISING

SOUPER BOWL 2023

On Saturday, February 4th, the Westchester Food Pantry is having its 4th Annual Souper Bowl.

It is a ton of fun and raises much need funds for the pantry, but it also requires lots of volunteers to run smoothly.  We are looking for volunteers, age 14 and older, to help set up the space, manage and serve soup, bus tables, sell raffle tickets, monitor silent auction bids, clean up and much more!  When their shift are over, volunteers can also attend the event for half price.  SIGN UP HERE

YEAR-ROUND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

FEBRUARY – Sign-Up HERE


GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY (GCFD) RECEIVING CREW:  The 1st and 3rd Fridays of every month, typically between 8am – 10am. This crew receives our orders from the GCFD.  It involves taking heavy boxes of cans, meat and produce from GCFD pallets into the pantry.  These volunteers must have the ability to lift and move heavy items.  Please provide your phone number if you are signing up for this slot, as sometimes the truck may be early or delayed.  And, we will let you when it arrives.

FOOD SORTING, SHELVING AND SETUP CREW: Every Friday afternoon from Noon-2pm. This crew receives food reclamation, puts everything away and packs bags for client service on Saturday morning.  A few folks who can do heavy lifting are needed for this shift, but otherwise all ability levels are fine.

SETUP CREW:  Every Wednesday afternoon, from 2-4pm (1-3pm starting in October). This crew packs  bags of food for client service on Wednesday evening.  A few folks who can do heavy lifting are needed for this shift.  Otherwise, all ability levels are fine.

CLIENT SERVICE CREW: Every Wednesday from 4-7pm and Every Saturday from 8:30-11:30am:  This crew helps the clients “shop” for a few items; this is called “client choice”.  A majority of their groceries have previously been bagged, and just need to be loaded into shopping carts.  Once the client is ready, this crew brings their groceries outside in the shopping carts and loads them into client vehicles.  A few folks who can do heavy lifting are needed for this shift.  Otherwise, all ability levels are fine.

REGISTRATION CREW: Every Wednesday from 4-7pm and Every Saturday from 8:30-11:30am. This particular role is limited to volunteers who have been trained on our Link2Feed registration system.  If you would like to learn this system in order to volunteer for this role, please reach out to the pantry’s Executive Director, Amanda Grant, to arrange for training.

FOOD RECLAMATION: During the week, primarily Fridays and Wednesdays, volunteers go to predetermined stores to pick up food that is no longer sell-able, but still perfectly fine to eat.  We have a huge need for food reclamation volunteers.  Our pantry gets a great deal of fresh food through these food reclamation efforts, and all the food is given out to clients that night.  You will need a reliable vehicle and be able to lift/load boxes of food.  We only ask for a commitment of one reclamation  each month.   Email or call the Pantry for more information and to sign-up.

FUNDRAISERS: Throughout the year, the Pantry gets involved with fundraisers that raise much needed funds in order to serve our clients.  These events include the Souper Bowl (beginning of February),  Yard Sale Extravaganza (end of May), Fourth of July Parade, Westchester Fun Fest (August),  Greater Chicago Food Depository Hunger Walk (September), and Jewel Holiday Bucks (November).  In order for these fundraisers to be successful, we need lots of motivated volunteers.
Please email the Pantry with any questions.

OUTREACH:  Everyone we meet is a potential client, volunteer or donor which is why outreach events are so important! We want to meet everyone, because everyone has a place at the Pantry.  We need volunteers who are confident talking about the Pantry – how to get food, how to volunteer and how everyone can get involved.  The Pantry participates in numerous outreach events throughout the year. They will be listed on this page should you want to volunteer.

The Pantry uses emails, Facebook, word-of-mouth, and Sign-up Genius to solicit volunteers.

Community Partners

  • Westchester Community Church
  • Aldi (North Riverside and Northlake)
  • Apple Store (Oak Brook)
  • Ballistoni & Beam Orthodontics (La Grange)
  • Bellwood Memorial Park District
  • Bellwood Post Office – National Association of Letter Carriers
  • Berkeley Public Library
  • Betsy Shea
  • Bomba Socks
  • BorgWarner (Bellwood)
  • Boy Scout Troop 73
  • Britten School (Westchester)
  • Crossroads Church (Hillside)
  • Cub Scout Pack 73
  • Divine Infant Alumni Association
  • Divine Providence Church
  • Divine Providence School
  • Dollar General (Westchester)
  • Emmanuel Temple AME Church
  • The Farm (Westchester)
  • FedEx Express
  • Freedom Baptist Church
  • Girl Scout Troops 51518, 51815, 51153, and 51823
  • Gobber Realty
  • Goodwill (Westchester)
  • Grassroots Garden Group
  • Hinsdale Humane Society
  • Humana, Inc.
  • Immanuel Lutheran Church
  • Imperfect Produce
  • Ingredion Corporation
  • Jewel (Countryside, La Grange Park and Westchester)
  • Joyfully Crafting
  • Kindercare (Westchester)
  • Knights of Columbus – Divine Infant Jesus Council #16641
  • La Grange Hospital
  • La Grange Park Daisies and Brownies
  • La Grange Park Moms Demand Actions
  • La Grange Park Public Library
  • LCH Creations
  • Lezza Bakery, Manufacturing Plant (Bellwood)
  • Lotus Group
  • Loyola Medicine – Department of Respiratory Care (Maywood)
  • Mariano’s (Westchester)
  • Masonic Bodies of Westchester
  • Mortenson Construction
  • Mrs. Fields Cookies
  • Old Glory Lodge 141
  • Old Schoolhouse Community Garden
  • Nazareth Academy
  • Nicor Gas (Bellwood)
  • Panera Bread (La Grange Park)
  • Paul’s Pizza & Hot Dog
  • Pegasus Windows
  • Proviso Math and Science Academy
  • Proviso Township Youth Services
  • Proviso West High School and National Honor Society
  • Right at School (Westchester)
  • Robby Bartholomai @ Properties (Western Springs)
  • Shamrock Labels (Bellwood)
  • Social Security Administration (Hillside and Oak Brook)
  • State Farm – Bruce Horek Agent (Westchester)
  • St. Domitilla
  • St. Joseph High School
  • St. Vincent de Paul Society
  • Super Target (Broadview)
  • TC Home Improvements (Westchester)
  • Tiffany Robinson Ministries International
  • Village of Westchester
  • Village of Berkeley
  • Village of Broadview
  • Westchester Social & Service Committee
  • Westchester Bible Church
  • Westchester Chamber of Commerce
  • Westchester Intermediate School
  • Westchester Middle School
  • Westchester Park District
  • Westchester Primary School
  • Westchester Post Office – National Association of Letter Carriers
  • Westchester Raiders Youth Football
  • Western Springs School District 101
  • UPG Enterprises LLC (Oak Brook)