Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has announced the launch of a countywide Holiday Food Drive in support of the Greater Chicago Food Depository. The initiative encourages residents to contribute food donations to help those facing hunger in the community.
Preckwinkle, along with Kate Maehr, Executive Director and CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, called on Cook County residents to participate in addressing local food insecurity. “We have a responsibility to help our neighbors in their time of need,” President Preckwinkle said. “We are working to curb hunger in our community and I am excited to invite our residents to join me in this effort.”
Maehr highlighted the ongoing collaboration between the county government and her organization: “The Food Depository is thankful for the longtime and steadfast partnership of Cook County in our mission,” Maehr said. “But our daily impact counts on the generosity of many. This food drive is an opportunity to make an impact on hunger across Cook County during this season of giving.”
Recent data from Feeding America indicates that one out of every six children in Illinois faces hunger. In Cook County alone, more than 661,000 people—including children, adults, and seniors—are expected to experience food insecurity this year.
To facilitate participation, donors can visit http://www.myfooddrive.org/#CookCounty2018 and select items through a virtual grocery store platform. All proceeds will go toward purchasing food for people in need. The drive will continue until December 31.
Since its founding in 1979, the Greater Chicago Food Depository has worked throughout Cook County to reduce hunger, distributing 69 million pounds of food last year—over one-third of which was fresh produce—and providing the equivalent of 159,000 meals each day.
Under Preckwinkle’s leadership, Cook County Government has partnered with the Food Depository on several initiatives such as creating the Cook County Food Access Task Force. These efforts aim to increase access to food insecurity screenings, promote school breakfast and summer meal programs at suburban schools and communities, and improve access to nutritious meals for all county residents.
