Beyond Hunger may be moving to a new Oak Park location later this year.
The Oak Park nonprofit with a goal of eliminating hunger in 13 Zip Codes on the West Side and near west suburbs, has been operating out of the basement of First United Church of Oak Park on Lake Street for decades. It is seeking a special use permit from the village government to occupy a former fitness center and grocery store at 6209 North Ave.
According to Michael Bruce, a village planner, the location’s proposed use is for warehousing and distribution, meaning it requires a special-use permit, not rezoning.
A Feb. 11 zoning board of appeals meeting will begin that process, Bruce said. He said the space is currently zoned for retail. The village meeting is set for 7 p.m.
Beyond Hunger was also planning a community meeting on Feb. 3 at First United Church to discuss the project, according to Jenni Hull, its chief executive officer.
“The village so far has been supportive,” Hull said Monday. “I think they are happy that we are staying in Oak Park. They understand and support the need for these services.”
Hull said last year Beyond Hunger served 79,000 people, including 2,000 households per month. While the First United Church location at 848 Lake St. has worked well since the food pantry’s inception 47 years ago as the Oak Park-River Forest Food Pantry, at 15,000 square feet, there will simply be more space at the new location. That will include 6,000 square feet for warehousing space, a loading dock and space for meetings and plenty of parking.
There’s more. Beyond Hunger is planning an online market, which requires space, and a teaching kitchen will be used for demonstrations and cooking classes.
Currently at First United Church, all donations that come in and out of the food pantry does so through a 36-by-42-inch window. Plus, there is the matter of set up and break down time.
“We’ve just outgrown that space,” Hull said. “They are breaking down food pallets in the parking lot. (It would be desirable) to be able to have a space where people can bring in a truck with donations, where we don’t have to put them through a window.
“The team has been creative to make it work. We can be open more days during the week, so we can disperse the traffic a bit,” she said of the proposed North Avenue location.
Right now Beyond Hunger’s office and pantry hours are 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturdays. It is open for donations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
In order to acquire the new building, Hull said Beyond Hunger launched a capital campaign a year ago and currently has 87% of the funds needed to purchase and build out the space. Most of that funding is from individual donors. A public funding phase will kick off in March, she said. The building purchase cost is $1.9 million, Hull said. It is currently owned by First Savings Bank.
Bruce said special-use applications go through three stages: Staff review, a zoning board of appeals meeting/public hearing and a village board meeting. The zoning board of appeals must recommend approval or approval with conditions to the village board.
“Assuming the village board approves Beyond Hunger’s special-use permit, the applicant may apply for a building permit,” he said. “Once a building permit and any other required village approval, such as a certificate of occupancy, are issued and finalized, the applicant may occupy the space.”
