A Season of Purpose
For 42 years, Northern Illinois Food Bank has been guided by one purpose: to help our neighbors facing hunger. That mission continues today.
As federal funding declines and more families seek food assistance, many in our community are asking, what can I do to help? The answer lies in our shared purpose.
When you volunteer, donate, or advocate, you are standing shoulder to shoulder with thousands of others who believe, as we do, that no one in Northern Illinois should go without food.
We are putting our purpose into action through our new Strategic Plan THRIVE. It deepens our commitment to the values that define us:
- Trust, through transparency and collaboration
- Human-centered service, by listening and responding with care
- Regional impact, reaching every part of our 13 counties
- Innovation, to feed more neighbors more efficiently
- Vision, to guide every action toward our goal of ensuring all Northern Illinois neighbors have the food they need
- Equity, because a just food system serves everyone with dignity and respect
Your generosity, your time, and your voice all help build a future where everyone in Northern Illinois has the food they need to thrive. Every action counts. Every gift matters and goes even farther with our holiday match.
If your purpose is to help others, let’s live that purpose together! This holiday season, thank you for being part of this work and this community.
Sincerely,
Julie Yurko, President & CEO
Meet Our Neighbors: Luis & Vashi
“Inflation has been tough,” Luis told us on a chilly day at Elgin Community College. He and hundreds of others were there for a Holiday Meal Box distribution. “Everything – gas, food – keeps going up.”
So he was especially glad to receive a Holiday Meal Box packed with everything his family needed for a holiday feast, right down to the hot cocoa. “Saving on food for the holidays helps us focus on other things, like a small toy for my son or setting aside a little extra for his future,” he said.
Vashi, another neighbor we met that day, expressed a similar sense of gratitude. After moving to Illinois from Ukraine in recent years, his family is adjusting to a new life. With a daughter still in school and his wife unable to work, they face many challenges. “My salary isn’t enough to cover everything,” he shared. Vashi was unsure how he would make the holidays feel special until he heard about the Holiday Meal Box distribution at Elgin Community College.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors:
TAKE THAT FIRST STEP
Cold weather was no match for Mehron as he helped with a Holiday Meal Box distribution. No challenge seems too big for Mehron’s energy and enthusiasm as he volunteers across a variety of Food Bank programs and locations.
Since moving to the area from central Illinois in 2021, he has packed food in Geneva, prepared DoorDash orders in Rockford, assisted with Mobile Markets in Elgin, and even helped at special events.
Why does he do it, and always with a smile? “Everyone faces challenges at some point in life,” he says. “I’ve been fortunate to have people support me when I needed it, and you never know what your neighbors are going through. If I can make even a small difference in someone’s life, I want to do it.” [continue reading]
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Volunteer or donate to support the Holiday Meal Box program!
Our goal is to distribute 50,000 Holiday Meal Boxes to neighbors across 13 counties in Northern Illinois this year. For the families who receive them, each box brings both a nourishing meal and the reassurance that their community cares. For the volunteers who pack and deliver them, the boxes are a clear example of what we can accomplish when we work together. And for the donors who make this possible, Holiday Meal Boxes represent a real and immediate way to support neighbors during a difficult time. Reaching this goal takes a lot of hands and a lot of heart. Will you help today?
LIVE YOUR PURPOSE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
For many, the holidays are a season of tradition, generosity, and gratitude. It is a time when we pause to reflect and ask, How can I give back? How can I help make someone else’s holiday a little brighter?
At Northern Illinois Food Bank, we believe purpose is powerful. During a time when thousands of our neighbors are struggling to put meals on the table, here are some ways you can make a difference by supporting equitable, sustainable food distribution.
- Give a gift to help provide nourishing meals this holiday season andhope that lasts into the new year.
- Lend a hand by packing food or helping at a distribution site. Discoverthe joy of working together as a team to bring comfort to neighbors.
- Join Serving Hope, our monthly giving community, to make a difference this season and a lasting impact all year long.
- Engage your network by starting a virtual food drive or a birthday fundraiser!
However you choose to use your gifts this holiday season, you’ll be part of a purpose we can all share: ensuring that everyone has the food they need to thrive!
ALDI Turns Corporate Values into Community Impact
For more than a decade, ALDI has been a steadfast partner of Northern Illinois Food Bank, showing how corporate engagement can create lasting impact. Beyond their well-known reputation for quality and value, ALDI has built a culture that embraces sustainability, community giving, and employee involvement. These values are at the heart of their partnership with the Food Bank.
“Our headquarters are in Northern Illinois, so supporting our local community through Northern Illinois Food Bank is a natural fit,” says Emily Wiora, Director of National Sustainability. “We are committed to making sustainability affordable and accessible for everyone, and that includes ensuring our neighbors have the food they need.” This commitment has resulted in nearly 30 million Upcoming Events Upcoming Events pounds of recovered and donated food from 78 local ALDI stores, helping address immediate needs while reducing food waste.
Team Purpose Makes Spirits Bright
End the year by pairing holiday spirit with community impact. Northern Illinois Food Bank’s virtual food drives give your team the opportunity to come together, build camaraderie, and support families facing hunger. We design custom giving pages for your company, making it simple to launch festive competitions and encourage participation. Doing a “12 Days of Giving” campaign with themed daily donation goals can add energy, while a matching gift from leadership can multiply results. We can help you decide what will work best! Whatever you choose, your efforts will create more meals and more hope for neighbors this season.
Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva’s Annual Day of Service
Volunteers are a vital part of the Food Bank’s mission, whether they volunteer once a year, once a quarter, once a month, or once a week.
For our mission partners, it’s a way to live out their calling to serve others. The Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva (UUSG) shares, “We volunteer monthly, and then each spring the congregation brings anywhere from 50 to 100 volunteers for our Annual Day of Service at the Food Bank. Our covenant mission statement says that we first and foremost promote practical goodness in the world. UUSG has maintained a strong relationship with the Food Bank for decades. Northern Illinois Food Bank’s mission is our mission.”
Volunteering is also an incredible way to build team spirit! Explore the many options for your team to volunteer today and be a part of the great work being done in our communities.
THANK YOU to our Holiday Meal Box Sponsors
Northern Illinois Food Bank plans to distribute 50,000 Holiday Meal Boxes this year, marking 26 years of providing our neighbors with a special holiday meal to share with their loved ones. Each box contains all the makings of a holiday meal for eight people, from stuffing to hot cocoa, and is given along with a frozen turkey.
Acquiring the food and packing the boxes is a monumental task each year. We’re grateful to all the sponsors who help make it possible, including Tate & Lyle, Prinova, Winland Foods, Nicor Gas, and Kubota Engine America.
“Our time spent packing meals is when we can do something to help those going through difficult times. Our teams come together and make a tangible difference: We step back at the end of a shift and see pallets of food packaged as meals to bring a little happiness to the families that will receive them. That makes a difference to us as well.”
—Abigail Storms
Vice President Global Platforms, Tate & Lyle
Planning Your Legacy:
Insights from a Trusted Advisor
Carol Ferguson will never forget her former boss. He started out working in a small-town coal mine and donated some of his paycheck earnings even when he barely had enough to live on. His story impressed her deeply and shaped her philanthropic thinking. “I firmly believe that if you can help people, you should,” she says.
Now retired from a career in nursing dedicated to helping others, Carol has two goals: travel and volunteer. She has visited more than 50 national parks, and she’s a volunteer supervisor at Northern Illinois Food Bank’s South Suburban Center in Joliet. “I love the different people volunteering here attracts,” she says.
When thinking about her charitable legacy, the Food Bank was an easy choice for Carol.
“Northern Illinois Food Bank is a worthy organization,” she says, noting our high Charity Navigator rating. “I want to help the South Suburban Center grow and be able to help more people, and I want to enable people to improve their lives.” Including the Food Bank in her estate plans means [continue reading]
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Smash Hunger Classic Pickleball Tournament
Sunday, February 1, 2026 | The Picklr in Wheaton, IL
Join us for the Indoor Pickleball Tournament!
Get ready for a day of fun and friendly competition at The Picklr on Sunday, February 1, 2026. This exciting event offers two divisions: Competitive Doubles and Recreational Doubles. Whether you’re playing to win or just for fun, there’s a spot for you on the court.