Noting the exponential increase in demand for services the Niles Township food pantry has provided since it started decades ago as a small operation in the basement of the then-township building, the Morton Grove Village Board approved a proclamation earlier this month declaring December food pantry awareness month.
“There continues to be a profound demand for emergency food due to multiple factors, and the demand to operate food banks, like the Niles Township Food Pantry, is more critical than ever,” reads a portion of the proclamation village trustees approved at the Dec. 10 meeting.
From its humble beginnings in that basement, with a lone shelf “containing some canned goods, just in case someone was in need,” the proclamation states that last year, some 70,000-plus individuals were served by the food pantry and at least 3,300 households.
Those numbers translate to more than 8% of total households in the township – which includes the villages of Skokie, Lincolnwood and Golf, and sections of Morton Grove, Niles and Glenview – being served.
“In 2023 the Pantry distributed nearly 1.4 million pounds of food where about half of all households in our coverage area use food stamps,” a portion of the proclamation reads.
The proclamation was at the top of the meeting agenda. Village President Daniel DiMaria implored those in the room – which was packed due to another agenda item where the new police chief was being sworn in – to take note of the hunger-related statistics presented.
“We live in our little sheltered world, most of us, I do believe that,” DiMaria said. “And we don’t realize that right in our own backyards, and some of our neighbors, are going [to the food pantry] for food.”
The mayor said, “I want everybody to listen to these numbers carefully because this will wake you up.”
He said that with taxpayers noting the food pantry numbers, they could be assured at least a portion of the money they pay in taxes is “not getting wasted.”
The township spent $84,000 on the food pantry in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, according to Morton Grove leaders. Another $2.4 million in revenue was received through donations.
Food pantry foundation board member Lisa Hanley and board Treasurer Peggy Tolleson were in attendance to receive the proclamation.
Tolleson thanked DiMaria and the board for shining a light on food insecurity.
“We all think that we live in a nice kind of middle class and everybody’s doing well but unfortunately everybody isn’t doing well,” she said.
Community and compassion were top of mind for Hanley as she reflected on what the recognition meant to her. She encouraged everyone in attendance to work toward solutions.
“Food insecurity affects too many individuals and families in our community,” Hanley said. “And it is crucial that we continue to work towards solutions that ensure everyone has access to the nutrition they need to thrive.”
Also on the meeting agenda that night was a measure that called for the village establishing a tree preservation and planting program. The Village Board approved a change to the village municipal code to start a fund for those purposes.
Trustee John Thill said the board had tried 16 years to establish the program.
“And we lost it by one vote,” he said.
After the new ordinance passed Dec. 10, Thill declared it a “slam dunk” as he cast the final vote.
The ordinance also re-established old regulations around the preservation and planting of trees in the village. One such change is the requirement that a new tree be planted for each one that is removed in the village.
Alan Kozeluh is a freelancer.
