The closure of a Catholic Charities facility in Des Plaines has yielded a donation for the Maine Township food pantry in Park Ridge that leaders called a pleasant surprise – and much needed.
Maine Township Supervisor Karen Dimond told Pioneer Press the food pantry received two large freezers in November, which are approximately 6 feet tall and roughly 4 feet wide, after Catholic Charities – a nonprofit community organization – closed a facility at 1717 Rand Road in October.
“It was sort of serendipitous,” she said. “We did get freezers and some other furniture from Catholic Charities. They were very generous in getting those to us and we are able to use them.”
According to a Maine Township news release, Des Plaines-based Community Consolidated School District 62 recently purchased the Rand Road site. District officials said it was a $1.1 million purchase.
Dimond said the donation of freezers complements the township food pantry’s other units, which include a chest freezer and another upright one.
“It’ll enable us to store more frozen goods for a longer period of time if we happen to get a lot. That happens a lot this time of year. Sometimes in the past we’ve been reluctant to get frozen goods or accept that type of thing because we didn’t have a place to put it, but now we do,” she said.
According to Dimond, Catholic Charities also donated chairs, tables, file cabinets and coatracks – which will be used throughout the township building – as well as shelving, which primarily will be used in the food pantry processing area.
Dimond said her cousin Kathy Peck, a Wheeling resident who volunteers for Catholic Charities, told her about the closure in Des Plaines and the possibility of donations from that location.
“They were running their own very large food pantry. They served a lot of people,” Dimond said. “We were able to get these things because they are, unfortunately, no longer able to serve the community.”
She acknowledged there had been an increase in people helped by the Maine Township food pantry since the Des Plaines facility closed, but she did not have specific uptick numbers.
Maine Township food pantry, which Dimond said provides food to more than 600 families monthly and also offers some cleaning products and toiletries, is open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
“It serves anyone who resides in Maine Township, and that would include most of Des Plaines, Park Ridge and Niles, but actually the boundaries cut through all those towns,” she said.
The township website also lists parts of Glenview, Morton Grove and Rosemont as being within the boundaries.
People who want to utilize the food pantry may apply onsite with proof of residence in Maine Township.
“We’re here to serve the public. We’ve been here for decades and we are here to ensure that no one goes hungry in Maine Township,” said Dimond about the food pantry, which partnered in 2023 with the Greater Chicago Food Depository to receive a weekly distribution of items from Chicago’s food bank.
She said the food pantry’s current list of needed items includes meal bars/Ensure, pet food, diapers size 3 to 6, and toiletries including shampoo and conditioner, body wash, feminine hygiene products, toothpaste, toothbrushes, laundry soap, cleaning supplies, toilet paper and paper towels, and trash bags.
“There’s three ways” people can support Maine Township food pantry, Dimond said. “Money or cash is one, two is donated food and three is serving as volunteers.”
In-person check, cash and food donations are accepted Monday through Friday at Maine Township Town Hall, 1700 Ballard Road, Park Ridge, which is also the address to mail donations.
The township website features retailer Amazon website links to the Maine Township Food Pantry Wish List and the Kids Weekend To-Go Bags list for Des Plaines-based East Maine School District 63, so the most-needed items may be purchased and shipped directly to the food pantry.
Jessi Virtusio is a freelancer.
