No one can concentrate on work or school on an empty stomach. So providing nutritious food to people who need it is at the heart of Beyond Hunger’s work. But the organization also knows that bags of food won’t end hunger in the long term for the more than 40,000 people they serve annually. That’s why Beyond Hunger looks at the underlying causes of hunger, addressing issues of inequity in how they source and deliver food and resources.
Beyond Hunger is serious about its mission: harnessing the power of communities to end hunger. Together with partners like the village of Oak Park, they create collaborative solutions for hunger and nutrition security that forge a more racially equitable food system.
For over 40 years, Beyond Hunger has provided food and resources for people in our community. They draw on community members’ knowledge and skills to shape programming that delivers resources people need to live healthy active lives. In addition to providing food to families, Beyond Hunger also provides summer meals for school children, connects individuals to valuable benefits like SNAP dollars, offers nutrition education and cooking classes to combat chronic illness, and delivers groceries to homebound older adults. As an organization, they focus on health and nutrition, intentionally offering food that nourishes and sustains — and that families love to eat.
Community members can visit Beyond Hunger (848 Lake St. in Oak Park) once per month to pick up groceries on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. or Wednesdays from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. When arriving, Beyond Hunger asks that individuals bring an ID and proof of address in one of the 13 zip codes that they serve.
To learn more about Beyond Hunger programs, service area, or how to volunteer or donate, please visit www.gobeyondhunger.org
Vanessa Matheny
Grant supervisor, village of Oak Park
