Northern Illinois Food Bank receives investment from the Caterpillar Foundation

Northern Illinois Food Bank announced a $35,750 grant from Caterpillar’s philanthropic organization, the Caterpillar Foundation, to provide food to people who face hunger in the Kane, Kendall, and Will Counties. A member of the Feeding America network, Northern Illinois Food Bank is one of 35 food banks nationwide to receive this grant.

“Northern Illinois Food Bank is thankful to the Caterpillar Foundation for its commitment to helping solve hunger in northern Illinois and supporting our hungry neighbors,” said Julie Yurko, president and CEO of Northern Illinois Food Bank. “Thanks to this grant provided by the Caterpillar Foundation, we will be able to provide more healthy food to the families we serve in Kane, Kendall and Will Counties.”

Each year, 49 million people in the United States face hunger, including 1 in 7 residents in northern Illinois. Funding from the Caterpillar Foundation grant will support Northern Illinois Food Bank’s Mobile Pantry Program by sponsoring 20 stops by the Food Bank’s traveling food pantry in high-need communities in Kane County and Will County. The grant will also bring more access to nutritious food to food pantries in Kendall County by funding the Food Bank’s Take 50 Foods to Encourage Program.

The grant will also fund the Food Bank’s Take 50 Foods to Encourage Program, through which the Food Bank will subsidize the cost of nutritious food among member food pantries and feeding programs in Kendall County.

“The Caterpillar Foundation is committed to alleviating poverty. We are proud to partner with Northern Illinois Food Bank to support individuals throughout the community who may not know where their next meal will come from,” said Michele Sullivan, president of the Caterpillar Foundation.

The Caterpillar Foundation’s current investment of $1 million will help to address hunger surrounding Caterpillar communities in 49 counties. The Foundation has invested $3.5 million dollars in Feeding America member food banks since 2013.