By Dee Longfellow
For The Elmhurst Independent
On Tuesday, January 26, The Independent was invited to the newly-built Elmhurst Yorkfield Food Pantry (EYFP) at 1083 So. York to greet one of the delivery trucks, which arrived about 9 a.m. that morning. Several volunteers were on-hand to unload the truck, followed by sorting and stacking the dry goods shelves and the cold storage areas. The facility has been serving clients from the new location since January 2.
“We try not to overload our volunteers,” said Larry Studer, who serves on the EYFP Board of Directors. “We have more than 500 so we ask them to take it easy. They might work Monday, Thursday and Saturday.”
At this time, there is no paid staff, everyone is a volunteer including the Board members.
“We prefer having no paid staff,” Studer said. “All the money we save can be used toward buying more food for those who need it.”
At the intake area, clients enter and meet with a volunteer who assigns them a number. Then they can get a cart and roam the aisles to select food by their number. There are glass-front refrigerator doors just like at a grocery store. Taking a cart up and down aisles to choose what they want offers more dignity to the clients, Studer said. In previous days, they were simply handed paper sacks filled with whatever the provider happened to fill them with.
Studer said the Pantry had received 250,000 pounds of food from Jewel and the Northern Illinois Food Bank over the past year. In December alone, 10,000 pounds had been donated. At this time, they have begun to offer hygiene products like soap, toothpaste and deodorant. Dog and cat food is also available.
EYFP received fresh produce on Wednesday of every week from May to October when the Elmhurst Farmers Market is held. The farmers would prefer to donate the excess food, rather than pack it up and take it back.
Asked where the project stood in terms of funds raised, Studer said the facility was currently debt-free. The Board of Directors had enough to pay for the building, including a cost overrun they had. Yorkfield Presbyterian Church had provided financial donations along the way, as did business, individuals, community groups and organizations throughout Elmhurst.
The message EYFP volunteers most wanted The Independent to tell its readers was that donations – food and financial – are always appreciated and are now accepted 24/7. There is now a mailbox that is locked so checks can be placed there safely. Food donations can be left there as well.
“We love that it feels more like a real store now,” Studer said. “We’re very happy to be able to provide that to our clients. Any time we can offer them a little more dignity, it’s a good thing.”
