Mend Hunger Partners with Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry to Close the Gap Between Health and Hunger

NILES, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017 – Mend Hunger, a local 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit, is bringing allergy safe and gluten free foods to 13 new zip codes throughout Chicago and the western suburbs in partnership with the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry.

Mend Hunger is filling the growing need for access to no-cost foods that support a medically necessary diet among people with financial need. Without access to safe and nutritious foods, parents and children are often left choosing between health and hunger. Mend Hunger is the only source of no-cost allergy safe and gluten free food in the Illinois tri-state area.

“Our clients’ average annual income is far less than the Federal Poverty line – hovering right around 50 percent of the poverty line. Our clients already struggle to afford food, let alone the more expensive foods required as part of an allergy-free diet,” said Michele Zurakowski, PhD,

Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry Executive Director. “We occasionally have some gluten- and allergy-free options that we receive as donations, but we don’t have a way to obtain these products regularly.”

“We found Mend Hunger as a recommendation on Twitter of all things, and found their mission to be in line with ours. We had already heard from clients about their struggles not being able to afford food for their family members with Celiac or other special diet conditions, so partnering with Mend Hunger seemed like the perfect opportunity to expand our offerings of allergy-free foods to our clients,” Zurakowski added.

The Oak Park River Food Pantry serves residents in 13 zip codes. Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry’s mission is to work together as a community to reduce hunger locally through:

• Direct hunger relief services
• Hunger awareness education and
• Advocacy to influence anti-hunger policy

“Mend Hunger is proud to work with the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry – a partnership that will improve the lives of many affected by food allergies and celiac disease,” said Aleksa Hacker, Mend Hunger Executive Director. “With allergy friendly and gluten free food now available in over 25 communities, we are excited by our growing visibility and ability to serve more clients and communities throughout Illinois.”

For more information about Mend Hunger, please visit: https://www.mendhunger.com/

For more information about the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry, please visit: https://www.oprffoodpantry.org/

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