Food for thoughtfulness
Adela Crandell Durkee — December 1, 2015
President of the Crystal Lake Food Pantry Bill Eich. (Photo by Adela Crandell Durkee/for Chronicle Media)
Annual holiday tradition helps familes in need.
For Judy Pelinski, Jay Gorski and Chris Williams, Thanksgiving morning starts with Community Harvest.
Gorski and Williams donate a week of vacation time to help Crystal Lake Food Pantry stock its shelves, but, they are not the only people who donate time to Community Harvest.
Many families add volunteering to their holiday traditions. Pelinski has been the chair and backbone of organization for the past ten years.
Started in 1982, the Crystal Lake Food Pantry provides food assistance and hope to families in Crystal Lake and McHenry County.
Last year, the Food Pantry distributed more than 700,000 pounds of food.
The Food Pantry distributes food 16 times per month from its main location at 257 King St. in Crystal Lake and twice per month at Calvary Assembly of God Church. The Food Pantry also tries to provide mobile food trucks and
Jay Gorski donates a week of vacation time to help Crystal Lake Food Pantry stock its shelves. (Photo by Adela Crandell Durkee/for Chronicle Media)
personal delivery of much-needed food to those who can’t come to either of our locations.
Although Pelinski’s core values include community service, Community Harvest is one of her passions.
“Many people do not recognize the face of hunger,” she said. “It could be anyone.”
When discussing issues related to hunger and hunger awareness, the term “food insecurity” is commonly used. Food insecurity refers to household members having limited or uncertain access to adequate food due to insufficient money or other resources for food. In McHenry county, that means 8.8 percent of the population — or 27,000 people — live with food insecurity. To put that number into perspective, that’s equivalent to somewhere between the entire population of Huntley or Algonquin.
Food insecure households are faced with having to make the difficult decision between buying food or paying their rent or mortgage, utility bills, car payment and/or medical bills. There are various reasons households need the assistance of the food pantry, including disabled persons with limited access to food, job loss, single-parent households and limited senior income. More than 77 percent of food insecure families part of the working poor.
Judy Pelinski and Chris Williams, helping out at the Food Pantry on Thanksgiving morning. (Photo by Adela Crandell Durkee/for Chronicle Media)
Last year, Community Harvest collected 61,000 pounds of nonperishable food and $26,000 in funds during Community Harvest. This year’s goal is 85,000 pounds of food and $50,000 in funds. Twenty churches and many local businesses collect food and recruit volunteers to help process the donations.
General Kinematics Corporation, known for its fun-filled engagement promotions, created an elaborate Great Pumpkin display to get employees excited. Several local car dealerships, including Gary Lang Chevrolet, Martin Chevrolet, and Courtesy Buick GMC had “Stuff a Truck” promotions.
The Crystal Lake Library donated $9,528 from its fine forgiveness campaign. During November, those who had delayed fines could pay half and get forgiveness for the remaining half. When they realized the money collected went to Community Harvest, most people chose to pay the whole fine. Some people paid even more than the fine required.
What touches Pelinski’s heart the most, is the generous outpouring of time churches, business, families, and individuals give on Thanksgiving Day. The donation center is abuzz with activity as hundreds of volunteers assemble boxes, fill boxes, weigh food, receive last-day donations, drive trucks, and help with cleanup.
Three generations volunteering — (from left) Stella Brady, Carol Craine and Britt Brady. (Photo by Adela Crandell Durkee/for Chronicle Media)
This year, Alexander Lee Center for Autism came in early to give Community Harvest a head start. The donation center opened just for them. Ten teenagers and young adults, some ready to transition to jobs in the community, gave back by volunteering. They did all of the volunteer jobs: sorted, packed, and ran carts.
“They were phenomenal. The only way to describe it,” Pelinski said, “is that it made my heart happy. It was the best day ever.”
Donations from Community Harvest can last in the Food Bank until May. The Food Bank accepts donations throughout the year because, as Pelinski aptly reminds everyone, “Hunger doesn’t take a summer vacation.”
— Food for thoughtfulness —
