NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The coronavirus pandemic may have halted a lot of things but feeding people in need isn’t one of them.
The Chapel of Libertyville has been hosting food distribution drives for more than 10 years and, due to COVID-19, Saturday’s event at the North Chicago City Hall has been changed to a mobile food pantry.
Before the pandemic, The Chapel’s food pantries would service an overage of 90 to 100 families but is now is servicing anywhere from 360 to over 500 families, North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham Jr. told WBBM.
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“Since the pandemic has hit naturally so many families now have been affected it has increased dramatically,” Rockingham Jr. said.
The event begins at 9:30 a.m. at the North Chicago City Hall with the vehicle lineup starting a few blocks away at the Paris Banquet Hall.
The mobile pantry will offer contactless distribution where people won’t have to get out of their vehicles and can instead open their trunks so the food can be placed inside, Rockingham Jr. said. Volunteers will also wear masks.
Organizers expect a large turnout and have enough food for 500 families, Rockingham Jr. said.