In the past year, the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry distributed 900,000 pounds of food to more than 15,000 individuals.  These figures represent a dramatic increase in the amount of food distributed to Pantry clients, but the current need in the community is even greater. There are more than 20,000 children alone in Aurora schools who are eligible for free and reduced lunches because their family income is close to the poverty level and they cannot afford to buy enough food.  There is sufficient free and inexpensive food available to meet the needs of our community.  The USDA estimates that between 25% and 50% of all food produced in the U.S. is wasted.  Much of this food is available for rescue and redistribution each year.  There is, however, a significant shortage of capacity in emergency food distribution systems like the Pantry.  The Pantry currently manages its food distribution out of a 2,500 square foot space, severely limiting the amount of food that can be collected and distributed.

Pantry E.D., Marilyn Weisner, and volunteers staff an AAIFP mobile pantry visit.

The Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry wants to expand its operations to collect and distribute up to 8 million pounds of food each year to bring them closer to the Pantry's goal of eliminating hunger in the community.  The Pantry would also like to offer its new storage and distribution capacity to other pantries in the Aurora area.  The Dunham Fund has issued a challenge to the Pantry to raise $425,000 from other funding sources by June 2011 to receive a $425,000 Dunham grant to purchase and refurbish an existing 7,500 square foot facility in Aurora with warehouse space, a receiving dock and a supermarket style distribution center.  Due to the realization of some grants from other sources, the Pantry must only raise an additional $100,000 to match the Dunham challenge. 

Back to "In This Issue"