Food For Connection
Providing food to someone in need can be a unique opportunity to show hospitality.
The food disparity crisis persists in our community. Yet, throughout the years, we have seen how a few cans of food or a warmed up meal can not only help fill a necessary need, but it can also open up doors for much needed connection and encouragement. Because of this, providing food to families and individuals has been a major part of the work we do at Family Empowerment Centers.
The History of Food Distribution at FEC
Our Food Distribution Ministry has shifted throughout the years based on the needs of the community and the available resources. These are some of the main ways we have been able to feed our community:
Thanksgiving Baskets: During the holiday season, we have distributed Thanksgiving baskets and often give out over 200 baskets each year.
Chicken Distribution: We have also partnered with the Hunger Resource Network to provide over 4000 lbs. of frozen chicken to families in our community.
Food Pantry: During the outbreak of Covid-19, more families than ever were in dire need of food resources. We started by distributing food out of our main facility, but soon opened a dedicated food pantry across the street from our main location that operated weekly.
Soup Kitchen: From 2022-2025, we oversaw a soup kitchen in Albany Park that has been a staple in that community for more than 20 years.
After School Program, Day Camps, & Youth Groups: We regularly feed the children and youth who participate in our programs. When we receive a surplus of food donations, we are also able to share some of the nonperishable food with the parents and families of these students.
Community Meals: In the summer of 2023, our center opened its doors to hundreds of migrants seeking support during the migrant crisis in Chicago. One of the ways we served these families and individuals was by offering community meals which started out as dinners and later transitioned to breakfasts during our Community Mornings. In 2024, the demographic of people who attended our breakfasts began to shift. We started to see more of the homeless population walk through our doors, and since then, we have been able to care for this group of men and women more attentively than ever before.
Interested in Volunteering?
Sign up as an individual or a group or email us at foodpantry@familyempower.org