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Community Corner

Bare Shelves at the Orland Township Food Pantry Spark Community Response

With the pantry in serious need of donations this holiday season, local schools and businesses are doing what they can to help.

The Food Pantry provides food to area residents who need immediate help, and with the holidays around the corner the organization could use a hand.

Loma “Gigi” Hall, food pantry vounteer, said that the shelves are nearly bare in the storage room at the Township's main building in Orland Park. 

“This is one of the busiest times of the year for the pantry that provides 250-300 families with meals every month,” Hall said.

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The pantry is need of an array of donated goods to help meet demands around the winter holidays. Boxed pastas and sauces, canned veggies, soups and other non-perishables as well as some refrigerated and frozen items are in high demand at the pantry, according to Hall.

How the community has stepped up to help:

  • students held a food drive to benefit the pantry this week.  Kids brought in much needed items to school with them to be donated to the pantry
  • is hosting the Food, Frolic and Fundraising Ladies Night Out to raise funds for the pantry on Thursday, Nov. 17th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Local vendors will offer jewelry, purses, candles and more.  Free appetizers will be served and discounted drinks will be offered as you shop. Fifteen percent of all proceeds will directly benefit the pantry
  • Kindergarten Daisy Scout Troop #60533 collected food and monetary donations. Pantry director Marianne Hill visited them last week to collect the donations
  • Orland Township hosted the “Can” Do Food Drive, benefitting the Orland Township Food Pantry, on Sat., November 12, 2011 at the , 16125 S. Wolf Road, from 8 a.m. to noon
  • The offered a $2 discount to their Haunted Woods Forest of Fears for fear seekers bringing food donations for the pantry
  • Student Council has organized a food drive to benefit the pantry and will collect nonperishable items until Nov. 18th
  • Student Council is collecting food for the pantry and rewarding the homeroom with the most items collected with a pizza party

Kim DiPofi of t said she heard about the pantry's needs from a vendor whose mother volunteers there, and decided to put on the event.

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“The timing could not be better since its right before Thanksgiving and with so many more families in need of help this year, and the pantry is struggling to keep food on its shelves," DiPofi said.

How you can help:

  • Bring in canned vegetables, soups, fruits, tuna, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti sauce, peanut butter and jelly, and toilet paper to the Orland Township Food Pantry from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday
  • Make a monetary donation to the pantry
  • Attend an event that directly benefits the pantry

On Friday, Orland Township will be hosting the "Pizza and Bingo with Santa" event, with proceeds going to the township's Holiday 2011 Program, assisting families with gifts and food for the occasions. For more information, check .

The Orland Township Food Pantry is located at 14807 S. Ravinia Avenue in Orland Park.

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