A volunteer sorts donations at the Downers Grove Area FISH Food Pantry. The pantry has called the basement of the Downers Grove Township Building, 4340 Prince St., home for 33 years, but is asking for help to find a larger facility.

DuPAGE COUNTY

 State funding up again for area high schools

DuPage County schools will see an increase in education funding for the fourth consecutive year because of the work of State Sen. Tom Cullerton (D-Villa Park).

Under this plan, DuPage County High School District 88 would see a $310,848 increase in funding.

Cullerton did not support the Illinois Senate Democrats’ earlier plan, which would pick winners and losers in schools across his district. He opposed the bill, saying that he believes the legislature shouldn’t be in the business of taking money away from one school at the expense of another.

Addison Trail and Willowbrook high schools are in District 88.

Photo contest promotes forest preserve use

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County has launched its Take 5 Photo Contest. Participants can submit up to 10 photos of plants, animals, landscapes, people, structures and sculptures taken in DuPage forest preserves throughout the year. Deadline for submitting photos is Sept. 5.

The contest is a part of the district’s Take 5 campaign, aimed at promoting spending time in the county’s forests and other areas.

The contest will feature $1,500 in prizes, including a kayak to the grand prize winner. To see complete rules and pick the eventual Voter’s Choice winner, visit dupageforest.org/take5.

GLEN ELLYN

 Sing along while watching ‘Mary Poppins’

 Come not to just watch “Mary Poppins,” but sing along to iconic songs such as “A Spoonful of Sugar” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” on July 14 during a showing sponsored by the Glen Ellyn Park District and College of DuPage. The movie will begin at 8 p.m. at the McAninch Arts Center’s Lakeside Pavilion on the College of DuPage campus.

 DOWNERS GROVE

 Food pantry needs a new, larger home

The Downers Grove Area FISH Food Pantry needs more space and is turning to the public to help find a new home.

The food pantry has operated in the area for 46 years, 33 of them in the basement of the Downers Grove Township Building, 4340 Prince St. However, the pantry has outgrown the space and needs a larger facility, and hopefully on one level so clients and an increasingly older volunteer base don’t have to navigate stairs. And, while it is not a deal-breaker, the pantry hopes to remain in Downers Grove.

The pantry already has spoken to other local nonprofits about the task and will reach out to other organizations as well. The board hopes to have public meetings by the end of July.

To offer comments or ask questions, email june@downersgrovefish.org by July 15, and include your name and contact information. For more information, visit downersgrovefish.org.

VILLA PARK

 Exhibit focuses on photo work of Vivian Maier

The work of a once obscure nanny turned photographer is on display at the Park Art Center, 9 E. Park Blvd., Villa Park.

The exhibit, “Vivian Maier Uncrated,” runs through July 30. It features a collection of 35 prints and a limited edition Vivian Maier photography book featuring 300 prints of her works.

Maier was born in New York City in 1926, but spent much of her life travelling to places such as Egypt, Bangkok, Italy and the American Southwest with camera in tow. In 1956 she settled in Chicago, where she remained until her death in 2009. She spent her adult life as a nanny to a series of North Shore families, and devoted her free time and money to her passion, photography.

Maier’s photography talent was discovered several years before her death by a Chicagoan who purchased her unpaid storage locker containing unprocessed film, a large amount of silver gelatin negatives, expensive old cameras and other personal items. Taking photos over the course of five decades, she amassed more than 100,000 negatives, most of them shot in Chicago and New York City. Her work showed her to be an accomplished street photographer who took amazing photos of working class people and children in Chicago during the 1950s and 1960s. Frank Jackowiak, a College of DuPage photography program specialist, developed more than 200 rolls of Maier’s film.

Admission to the exhibit is free. The Park Art Center hours are and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. For more information, call (630) 501-1455.

WHEATON

 Resident to promote book about his acclaimed artwork

Meet Wheaton resident and internationally acclaimed artist Ratindra Das during an appearance at 1 p.m. July 14 at the Wheaton Public Library, 225 N. Cross St., Wheaton.

He will talk about his new book, “Watercolor Beyond Obvious Reality,” and will demonstrate his watercolor techniques. Copies of his book will be available for sale and signing. Cash or check only, please. Register at wheatonlibrary.org or by calling (630) 868-7520.

NAPERVILLE

 Public input sought about downtown streetscape

The City of Naperville continues to seek the opinions of residents and businesses about its ongoing Downtown Streetscape Project. A public meeting will be held 4-7 p.m. July 13 in the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St. Participants may come and go as they please during the open house to view plans and listen to short presentations.

Also, interested parties may give feedback through a survey at www.p2cdesigns.com/survey. Online surveys must be submitted by July 20.

The city has contracted with P2C Design, LLC for work on the project, which will gather inventory on the current streetscape conditions and develop a new standard that will enhance the downtown area.

Topics that will be discussed during the open house include an analysis of conditions of the current downtown streetscape and an updated, proposed streetscape design plan to enhance the pedestrian environment and visual elements of the downtown area.