Elected officials joined together Tuesday to unveil new cold storage vans to be used by pantries in Sauk Village, Oak Forest and La Grange with the promise of improving the offerings at the south suburban food donation sites.
Cook County is pledging $2 million for the insulated trucks so Grace United Church of Christ Food Pantry in Sauk Village, Hattie B. Williams Food Pantry in Oak Forest and St. Cletus Food Pantry in La Grange can have more perishables delivered, according to a news release. The trucks can also be used to deliver dairy, produce and other foods with limited shelf life directly to people’s homes, county officials said.
“Food insecurity in Cook County remains a critical, elevated issue for our communities. In February of this year, one in five households in the Chicago metro area, and one in four households with children faced food insecurity,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.
Preckwinkle was joined by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, Cook County Commissioners Donna Miller and Alma Anaya and other officials and pantry leaders.
“The refrigerated vans enable us to supplement the nutritious food we already receive from the Food Depository with the quality, unsold food that we collect from local grocers for our pantry guests,” said Annie Hill, coordinator at Hattie B. Williams Food Pantry in Oak Forest.
While $2 million has been allocated for the vans, $825,000 was spent on building the trucks outfitted with cold storage equipment and shelving, according to the news release.
“These three refrigerated trucks are going to serve not only this week, this year, but many years to come,” Durbin said, pointing behind him and the white sliding-door vans wrapped with the words “St. Cletus Food Pantry.”
Funds for the $2 million investment comes from the American Rescue Plan Act and will benefit the three pantries. Durbin applauded President Joe Biden — and himself — for their work passing the act.
“I was happy to vote for it; happy to be here today to take credit for it,” he said with a smile, pausing for chuckles from the crowd.
The senator also veered into global politics when he related the work staff do at Greater Chicago Food Depository with the work done by the global food donation service with World Central Kitchen. Durbin paused for a moment of silence for seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza killed Monday by an Israeli airstrike in the Israel-Hamas war, according to the Associated Press.
Food insecurity disproportionately affects families of color in the county. According to an analysis of the Chicago metro area between January and February, 35% of Black households with children, 33% of Latino households with children and 18% of white households with children experienced food insecurity, Preckwinkle’s office said.
Now, more fresh foods will show up in pantries in the suburbs and more homes will be able to receive food at the door, supporters of the investment said.
“Cold-storage vehicles will be a gamechanger for us in the summer because it’ll mean fresh produce will remain fresh while they’re transported to their pantry destinations,” said Hill.
Associated Press contributed
