Community Leaders and Guests Gather for Northern Illinois Food Bank's New North Suburban Center (NSC) Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening

Posted August 31, 2022 11:00 pm

Submitted by Northern Illinois Food Bank

Northern Illinois Food Bank held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house for its North Suburban Center to celebrate its relocation to a larger space in Lake Forest at 13950 W. Business Center Drive. Over 200 guests attended the event including community leaders, local mayors, donors, board members, volunteers, staff and the public. Attendees enjoyed a welcome presentation, tours, refreshments, live radio broadcast by WXLC (102.3 FM) and sample volunteer projects.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony featured master of ceremonies Maeven Sipes, chief philanthropy officer of Northern Illinois Food Bank, and several speakers including: Northern Illinois Food Bank President and CEO Julie Yurko, Northern Illinois Food Bank Board Chair and Uline Senior Adviser Doug Eckrote, 10th District U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider, Lake Forest Mayor George Pandaleon, Green Oaks Mayor Bernard Wysocki, Executive Director of Club Apaseo el Alto Armando Peña (Spanish speaking presenter and translator Sucely Garcia, NIFB) and Northern Illinois Food Bank North Suburban Center Manager Scott Keenan.

The new location in Lake Forest includes a larger cooler and freezer space to help meet the Food Bank's goal of increasing the percentage of produce distributed to 30% of all food distributed. The bigger space allows for additional volunteers from 50 to 100 a shift, and eventually up to 500 a week. The increased capacity for volunteers will double the amount of food processed on site to approximately 2.5 million pounds annually.

The North Suburban Center serves 150 pantries and programs in Lake County and 60 pantries and programs in McHenry County. In Lake County alone, the Food Bank served an average of 78,000 neighbors monthly in the past year. The new larger space will enable more neighbors to receive the food they need to thrive. For more information about volunteering, receiving groceries or to make a donation, visit: SolveHungerToday.org.

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