Fighting food insecurity: DuPage County awards grants to 13 food pantries

DuPage County Board members on Tuesday approved more than $600,000 in grant requests to help 13 food pantries cover expenses for refrigerated trucks, shelving, ovens, refrigerators, freezers and other capital needs.

The grants, totaling $626,000, are funded through the county’s Local Food Pantry Infrastructure Investment Program, which was established in 2023. The county is paying for the grants with federal money from the American Rescue Plan Act.

“Food insecurity is not going away. It’s just getting worse,” said county board member Greg Schwarze, who also heads the human services committee. “Food pantries and the Northern Illinois Food Bank continue to report that they are getting record crowds from week to week and month to month.”

During the last two years, the county has awarded more than $7 million to local food pantries and nonprofit groups to help battle food insecurity. Though much of the money has gone to help purchase food, the county has also provided money to help food pantries with capital needs, including refrigerators, cabinets, sinks, shelving, and technology.

“We believe these investments will build a framework that will support food pantries into the future and continue to find new and innovative ways to get fresh food to those who need it most,” Schwarze said.

The largest grant award went to Bloomingdale Township, which received $98,690 for a walk-in cooler and a backup generator.

To learn more about the program, visit the county’s website at dupagecounty.gov.