New food pantry brings added aid to Bloom Township

By David Pollard For Chronicle Media
Residents and officials check out the shelving and setup of Bloom Township's new food pantry in Chicago Heights. (Photo courtesy of Leticia Gonzales/Bloom Township)

Residents and officials check out the shelving and setup of Bloom Township’s new food pantry in Chicago Heights. (Photo courtesy of Leticia Gonzales/Bloom Township)

A resource for residents in Bloom Township who need help putting food on the table just got a lot better.

At one time the Bloom Township Food Pantry, located in Chicago Heights, could only provide residents with dry food goods, but in late June the township unveiled a larger location. The location, formerly the township’s maintenance garage, was converted into the township’s new food pantry.

“It’s been a two-year project,” said Leticia Gonzalez, director of the food pantry. “It started in 2014.”

It took about $500,000 to rehab the site, but now along with dry food goods the pantry has more room for more food and a larger variety of food.

“There’s definitely a need for fresh fruits and vegetables,” she said.

The larger space allowed the township to put in a cooler and freezer for meat, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. The money also went to pay for lighting outside the pantry and additional parking spaces.

Gonzalez said the added variety of food has attracted a lot more residents to take advantage of the food pantry. In the past they were providing food for 300 families a month and now they are serving 1,000 families.

Most of the food the pantry distributes weekly comes from Greater Chicago Food Depository.

“We get 15,000 pounds of food a month and local farms bring us the peppers, zucchinis, tomatoes and other vegetables they can’t sell to distribute,” she said. “We also accept donations.”

Gonzales, who lives in Chicago Heights, said she is happy to be a part of this resource for township residents.

Leticia Gonzales, director of Bloom Township Food Pantry helps resident fill out paperwork to receive food at the township's new location. (Photo courtesy of Leticia Gonzales/Bloom Township)

Leticia Gonzales, director of Bloom Township Food Pantry helps resident fill out paperwork to receive food at the township’s new location. (Photo courtesy of Leticia Gonzales/Bloom Township)

“You realize how many people who don’t have,” she said. “You’ve got the senior who comes in who gets $16 in food stamps and they have to come in and supplement; a husband just lost his job or was laid off, you get all kinds of stories.”

To get food a person must show proof they live in the township.

“We don’t verify income,” she said. “Sometimes it can be a rough month.”

The amount of food given out depends on the size of the family requesting food. There is a form residents fill out designating their family’s size and pantry volunteers get the food.

“Once they check in we give them a menu,” she said. “There are number of items you can get based on your family’s size. We package it and take it out their car.”

As the Christmas season approaches the food pantry will be offering holiday food baskets with a turkey or ham and all the trimmings to residents on Dec. 10.  Gonzales said they will have about 500 holiday baskets to give out so residents have until Nov. 23 to come to the pantry and apply.

Gonzales said that now with the new pantry it’s their job to help make sure township residents in need don’t go hungry.

“I realize it’s a responsibility, especially when we have these resources,” she said. “By helping the people in your community you are helping your community.”

The Bloom Township Food Pantry is located at 425 S. Halsted Ave. Pantry hours are 3-7 p.m. on Mondays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays and can be reached by phone at (708) 754-9400.

 

 

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