It's hardly breaking news that the recession has left many in our community without the means to buy adequate food and clothing. The Des Plaines Self Help and Pantry is one of our precious local assets which responds to those in need. Fueled by the generosity of volunteers and contributions from the public, the Pantry is often the only way dinner makes it on the table or a kid joins the snowball fight armed with a suitable winter coat and mittens.
This holiday season, the staff at Readers' Services wants to lend a helping hand to those who lend a helping hand every season. We'd like to give the Pantry some extra help by super-collecting food and clothes starting Friday, November 27 and continuing for the next 10 days. I say super-collecting because the library collects these items for the Pantry all-year long, but we want to make a special effort now, before that infamous Chicago winter makes its presence known.
What They Really Need
The Pantry asks for gently-used winter clothing - coats, boots, hats and gloves for all shapes and sizes and ages.
For food, they ask for non-perishable items which have not expired. The most requested items are:
mac and cheese
canned fruit
canned vegetable
soup
tuna/canned meat
beans
canned tomatoes
spaghetti sauce
peanut butter
jelly
canned meals
pasta
rice
pasta/rice side dish
cereal/oatmeal
pancake mix/syrup
coffee/tea/hot chocolate
juice
drink mixes
dry/canned milk
baking supplies
baby food formula
diapers
paper products
cleaning supplies
toothpaste
shampoo
We-haul
Please bring your contributions to the library on the first and third floors. On Monday, December 7, the Readers' Services staff will load it up and take it over to the Pantry. As is typical of a bunch of writers, this will represent the only exercise we get all year so please be generous. The more trips we have to make, the better for our waistlines.
This holiday season, the staff at Readers' Services wants to lend a helping hand to those who lend a helping hand every season. We'd like to give the Pantry some extra help by super-collecting food and clothes starting Friday, November 27 and continuing for the next 10 days. I say super-collecting because the library collects these items for the Pantry all-year long, but we want to make a special effort now, before that infamous Chicago winter makes its presence known.
What They Really Need
The Pantry asks for gently-used winter clothing - coats, boots, hats and gloves for all shapes and sizes and ages.
For food, they ask for non-perishable items which have not expired. The most requested items are:
mac and cheese
canned fruit
canned vegetable
soup
tuna/canned meat
beans
canned tomatoes
spaghetti sauce
peanut butter
jelly
canned meals
pasta
rice
pasta/rice side dish
cereal/oatmeal
pancake mix/syrup
coffee/tea/hot chocolate
juice
drink mixes
dry/canned milk
baking supplies
baby food formula
diapers
paper products
cleaning supplies
toothpaste
shampoo
We-haul
Please bring your contributions to the library on the first and third floors. On Monday, December 7, the Readers' Services staff will load it up and take it over to the Pantry. As is typical of a bunch of writers, this will represent the only exercise we get all year so please be generous. The more trips we have to make, the better for our waistlines.
By the way, if you have any questions about the Pantry, you can go to their website at http://selfhelppantry.org/ or visit them at 600 E. Algonquin near the intersection of Algonquin and Wolf roads. They accept donations on Saturday mornings, Monday mornings and Tuesday mornings. In the meanwhile, please help us help them help the neediest members of our community.
1 comment:
I called the pantry to check and they also accept pet food. So if you have extra treats or cat and dog foods you may contribute them. People in need also need to feed their pets!
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