Provided by the Girl Scouts of Oak Park and River Forest
Girl Scouts have already begun to hang 20,000 green fliers on door handles in Oak Park, River Forest, and Forest Park, announcing the Girl Scout Food Drive, Saturday, Oct. 15. On that day, 50 troops will go door to door collecting food and toiletries for the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry as well as the Forest Park Food Pantry.
Residents are asked to place their donations in bags outside their doors by 9 a.m. and mark them, “Food Pantry.” Pantries especially need canned meat, peanut butter, tuna, vegetables, soup, pasta, cereal, as well as diapers, laundry soap, shaving cream, shampoo, toothpaste, and hand/body lotion.
The number of families fed each month at the Oak Park River Forest Pantry continues to mount to 1400 per month. In 2005, the same pantry served only 155 families per month. Clients are residents of Cook Country who live in Austin, Humboldt Park, or the western suburbs.
Food Pantries look forward to the variety of food collected which goes beyond the standard US Department of Agriculture or Food Depository fare of plain rice, vegetables, and soup. The Girl Scout Food Drive is the largest area food drive each year.
Tax deductible monetary contributions are also appreciated. Please make checks payable to Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry, P.O. Box 3365, Oak Park, IL 60303-3365, if you live in Oak Park and River Forest. For residents of Forest Park, make checks payable to the Forest Park Food Pantry, 7640 Jackson Blvd., Forest Park, IL 60130.