Northern Illinois Food Bank receives $60,000 grant from Caterpillar Foundation

Northern Illinois Food Bank recently received a $60,000 donation from the Caterpillar Foundation to help bring more food to hungry neighbors in northern Illinois.

The grant,  part of a $1.5 million investment that Caterpillar Foundation is making to Feeding America member food banks across the country, will go towards food sourcing initiatives that will result in more food for local food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens. 

"We are very grateful for the Caterpillar Foundation's commitment to solving hunger in our community," said Julie Yurko, president and CEO, Northern Illinois Food Bank. "This wonderful gift will go a long way in providing more nutritious food to our hungry neighbors." 

The donation is especially important now as food insecurity continues to remain high. According to the USDA, 49 million people in the U.S. struggle with hunger, including 16 million children. Across Northern Illinois Food Bank's 13-county service area, more than 400,000 people face hunger. The Food Bank partners with 800 local food banks and feeding programs to provide nutritious food to those in need. Additionally, Food Bank programs, such as the Mobile Pantry, BackPack, and Child Nutrition programs, bring food directly to hungry neighbors in high-need areas. 

A portion of the donation will also go towards helping Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization, increase the number of meals it brings to people through the organization's nationwide network of food banks.

The grant from the Caterpillar Foundation will help to bring additional food to those individuals and families here in northern Illinois that struggle to make ends meet.

To find out more about Northern Illinois Food Bank, go to www.SolveHungerToday.org