Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry officials faced a dilemma.
While they were happy with a $21,000 quality of life grant from the city of Aurora this year, it was less than what they got in 2023.
Because the need continues to grow, officials found themselves $14,000 short of what was needed to fulfill the goal of ensuring no family is turned away.
The generosity of friends and family of a longtime friend and donor to the pantry saved the day.
Paul Eccher requested that people donate to the pantry in honor of his father, Marino Eccher, a longtime Auroran who passed away in September at the age of 95.
Marino Eccher emigrated from Italy in 1955, and worked 25 years for Stephens-Adamson/Borg Warner as a machinist and welder, and then for Walker Process as a welder for another 10 years.
According to his obituary, he devoted countless hours to repairing and improving his family’s home, becoming proficient in electrical work, plumbing, masonry and carpentry. He generously shared these talents with neighbors and friends.
According to Paul Eccher, his father was also an avid gardener, and would donate vegetables he grew to Hesed House.
“Growing up in the Depression he appreciated the importance of good food and a healthy meal for all,” Paul Eccher said.
Donations to the pantry in his name came to more than $20,000, meaning the pantry was able to get holiday meal boxes for all who need them.
“There is no doubt that these essentials from the pantry in the way of holiday fixings will prevent countless families from going without a special celebration during the holidays,” said Katie Arko, Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry executive director. “The timing of Paul’s kind gesture to request donations to the pantry from family and friends of his father’s was an absolute blessing.”
While that helped for holiday distributions, the pantry continues to serve more than 1,300 families in a given week, throughout the year.
That’s the reason for the annual Holiday Food Drive, which began Nov. 1 and runs through Nov. 27. The drive is in its first full weekend.
It is operating as it has for years, through three grocery stores: Prisco’s Family Market, 1108 Prairie St., Aurora; Cermak Fresh Market, 1250 N. Lake St., Aurora; and La Chiquita, 1525 Douglas Road, Montgomery.
Depending on how each store does it, people can buy packaged bags of groceries of $5, $10, $15 and $20 as they go through the checkout line during normal shopping.
They also can buy a $20 virtual bag online, a feature added two years ago that officials said worked well.
The pantry also takes monetary donations. The money is used to purchase food from the Geneva-based Northern Illinois Food Bank, and every $1 donated actually purchases $8 of food.
Both the virtual bags and the monetary donations can be done at the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry website, https://www.aurorafoodpantry.org/.
Monetary donations also still are taken the old-fashioned way, with checks mailed to the pantry at 1110 Jericho Road, Aurora, IL, 60506. Checks should be made out to Aurora Food Pantry.
The food drive also depends on volunteers who help in a number of ways, including passing out flyers promoting the drive at the participating grocery stores. Ways to volunteer are also on the pantry’s website. Individuals and families often volunteer, but so do many businesses, churches, Scouting and student groups and other organizations.
Some organizations also conduct their own food drives during the Holiday Food Drive, and donate those to the pantry.
Sponsors of the Aurora Holiday Food Drive are: Dolan and Murphy, Inc. real estate; Konen Insurance; Gerald Subaru of North Aurora; AuraLight Dispensary; Douglas Carpet One; Aurora Bank & Trust; Bob’s Discount Furniture; Oak St. Health; AC’s Pub; Ald. Patty Smith, 8th Ward; The Beacon-News; Aurora Fastprint; Cermak Fresh Market; La Chiquita; and 95.9 The River.
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