Last year, 1 out of every 6 people in the United States looked to food banks and food pantries for support, according to a 2023 report from Feeding America. The end of COVID-era government assistance programs and the rising cost of groceries due to inflation have many Americans facing food insecurity.
According to a 2023 Department of Agriculture report, 12.8% of households around the country—about 17 million—were food insecure in 2022. That’s up from the 10.2% of households who had difficulty providing food for everyone in their home in 2021, and also up from the 10.5% who said the same in 2020. It’s the highest share of food-insecure households in the U.S. since 2014.
The rise of food insecurity and the economic situation in the U.S. means that food banks are struggling to keep up with the demand. “Local food banks, pantries, and community meal programs have become an essential component of many households’ food budgets, especially as we continue to face increased food prices and the end of pandemic-era benefits,” Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, said in a statement accompanying the nonprofit’s aforementioned report. In an earlier 2023 survey from Feeding America, 65% of responding food banks reported an increase in the number of people they served.
It can be difficult to know where to go if you want to help, as many do during the holiday season in particular. To help guide you, Stacker compiled a list of food bank volunteer opportunities near Chicago using data from VolunteerMatch. Read on to see what you can do for those grappling with food insecurity in your community, from distributing lunches to seniors to serving meals at soup kitchens.
Meal Helper at Ronald McDonald House
– Organization: Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana
– Read more on website
Fight2Feed Chicago Seeking Saturdays Volunteers!
– Organization: FIGHT2FEED A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION
– Read more on website
Chicago Volunteer Nonprofit Support Coordinator with LoveJustice
– Organization: LoveJustice
– Read more on website
Volunteers Needed to Rescue Food & Fight Hunger In Chicago!
– Organization: Rescuing Leftover Cuisine Inc
– Read more on website
Food & Hygiene Pantry Volunteer
– Organization: EZRA Multi-Service Center
– Read more on website
Political Affairs Internship
– Organization: The Borgen Project
– Read more on website
Hot Lunch at Providence Soup Kitchen
– Organization: PROVIDENCE SOUP KITCHEN (Daughters of St. Mary of Providence)
– Read more on website
Nourishing Hope – Help distribute food at La Casa Norte’s Fresh Market!
– Organization: Nourishing Hope
– Read more on website
Greater Chicago Food Depository FRESH Truck (Noon Shift, Various Locations)
– Organization: Greater Chicago Food Depository
– Read more on website
Food Pantry Volunteer
– Organization: CHATHAM-AVALON MINISTRIES INC
– Read more on website
Share-A-Meal Event (SAM)
– Organization: The Boulevard: The Road to Health and Home
– Read more on website
Cook homemade meals for your neighbors in the Chicago area
– Organization: Lasagna Love
– Read more on website
Food pantry volunteers needed – all shifts
– Organization: friendshipcenterchicago.org
– Read more on website
IVC Seeks Active Seniors for the Chicago Area
– Organization: Ignatian Volunteer Corps
– Read more on website
Rogers Park Food Pantry
– Organization: Care for Real
– Read more on website
Join our team of Home Delivered Meals Drivers!
– Organization: CJE SeniorLife
– Read more on website
Home Delivered Meals Drivers
– Organization: Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
– Read more on website
Logistics Volunteer- Outreach Feed 6 – Chicago
– Organization: Hunger Free America
– Read more on website
Chicagoland – IL Food Rescue Opportunity
– Organization: Food Rescue US
– Read more on website
Food Distribution Volunteers
– Organization: ST CYPRIAN FOOD PANTRY
– Read more on website
Food Pantry Volunteers in West Suburban Chicago
– Organization: Share Food Share Love Food Pantry
– Read more on website
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 101 metros.
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