History
For over 30 years, the villages of Oak Park and River Forest have come together to serve the hungry in our community. Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry was started in the early 1970s by a small group of concerned citizens led by Patricia Funk, a local Girl Scout leader. Initially known as the Hunger Task Force Food Pantry, it was housed in the Faith United Methodist Church for several years. Soon after its inception, the Pantry became associated with the Community of Churches, now known as the Community of Congregations. (Previous managers of the Pantry include Pat Savino, Patricia Koko, Alyce Bode, Karin Pietrini, Leah Beckwith and Anne Wakely.)
As the need for supplemental food grew in our community, the Pantry outgrew its space in Faith United Methodist Church. For a brief time, the Pantry operated out of a storefront before finding its current home within First United Church of Oak Park at 848 Lake Street. A generous landlord, First United not only offers the Pantry rent-free space, but also provides a high level of service and commitment from its staff, Faith in Action Committee, and congregation.
The Community of Congregations was a loving parent organization, overseeing a 10-fold growth in Pantry services in the early 2000s. But as client need intensified, it became clear that the Pantry itself needed resources beyond the limits of its parent. Thus in 2010, the Pantry moved from being a program under the Community of Congregations to being a partner with them as a separate 501(c)(3). The Pantry is now served by its own 12-member Board of Directors.
In 2012, the Pantry also enjoys the services of two full-time employees: Kathy Russell (Executive Director) and Michele Zurakowski (Director of Operations), two full-time service learners (via Jesuit Volunteer Corps and AmeriCorps), as well as 4 part-time staff. Together with over 1300 volunteers, they served nearly 17,000 families in 2011.