The Salvation Army, Northern Illinois Food Bank, the City of Elgin and a host of other not-for-profit groups have partnered to provide free lunches to all Elgin-area children 18 and under June 22- Aug. 21.
“Every child should be able to count on at least one nutritious meal a day,” said Randy Reopelle, Elgin’s Parks and Recreation Director. “Many not-for-profit groups have been very concerned with the area’s rising unemployment rate and the fact that so many kids won’t have access to the free lunch programs typically provided at schools. So we all partnered to ensure Elgin children would have access to a nutritious lunch every day.”
Elgin unemployment is now at 13.8% and local food pantries have seen a 50-130% increase in food requests this year. Elgin’s Salvation Army has served an average of 150 families each week over the last three months.
“Thousands of local children who depend on reduced or free lunch programs will have no access to a daily lunch during the summer months,” said Major Ken Nicolai, of Elgin’s Salvation Army. “Most kids are more active during the summer months and they need good nutrition.”
The Salvation Army and 12 other locations will serve lunches from 11 to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“We’re planning on providing 50 lunches at each location to start,” said Reopelle. “We’re planning to begin with 650 lunches but if we need more at certain sites, we’ll get them.”
Locations for the Children’s Summer Nutrition Program are:
Bethesda Church, 453 Fremont St.
Drake Field, 701 Hastings Street
Eastside Recreation Center, 1080 E. Chicago Street
Mision Apostolica de la fe en Cristo Jesus, 660 Villa
Salvation Army, 316 Douglas Ave.
Apartment Complex, 85 S. Crystal Street
Buena Vista, 1285 Fleetwood Drive
Clifford Owasco Park, 825 Clifford Street
Cornerstone Park, 1540 Mulberry Lane
Gifford School, 240 S. Clifton Ave.
Grolich Park, 51 Souster Ave.
Elgin Community Church, 991 Deborah Ave.
Wing Park, 1010 Wing Street
For more information contact Major Nicolai at ken_nicolai@usc.salvationarmy.org or call
(847) 741-2304.