Food Pantry in Belvidere, Illinois

A number of food banks, soup kitchens for hot meals and free emergency food pantries in Belvidere, Illinois distribute groceries to individuals or families who are in some form of an emergency situation.

There are also meals, free bags of food, personal toiletries and household goods for low to moderate income families from food pantries near you.

Distribution centers can include churches, non-profit organizations, community action agencies, and many other local charities as well as non-profits.

Salvation Army Food Pantry

The Salvation Army is dedicated to eliminating food insecurity.

The Salvation Army operates free local food banks around Belvidere, Illinois from almost all of their local social service centers. The charity organization is involved in feeding millions of families each year, with a large percentage of those assisted being children as well as the elderly.

We have located 2 Salvation Army Food Pantry locations in Belvidere, Illinois which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.

The Salvation Army - Belvidere Corps Community Center

Services provided :

  • Casework Services
  • Character Building Programs
  • Christian Education
  • Emergency Financial Assistance
  • Emergency Shelter
  • Food Pantry
  • Men's Ministries
  • Pathway of Hope
  • Seasonal Services
  • Visitation Services
  • Women's Ministries
  • Worship Services - Children's / Teen
  • Worship Services - Church
  • Worship Services - Spanish
  • Worship Services - Sunday School
  • Worship Services - Young Adult
  • Worship Services - Youth Ministries

Appointments :

You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (815) 544-3892 to book your appointment.

Address :

422 S Main St,
Belvidere, IL 61008.
Get Directions

Hours Of Operations :

  • Mon:
  • Tues:
  • Wed:
  • Thurs:
  • Fri:
  • Sat:
  • Sun:

Help Residents of Counties:

  • Boone

The Salvation Army - Marengo (Service Extension) Service Area: Coral, Riley, and Union Communities

Services provided :

  • Emergency Financial Assistance

Appointments :

You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (815) 568-7950 to book your appointment.

Address :

829 Greenlee St, MARENGO,
Marengo, IL 60152.
Get Directions

Hours Of Operations :

  • Mon:
  • Tues:
  • Wed:
  • Thurs:
  • Fri:
  • Sat:
  • Sun:

Help Residents of Counties:

  • McHenry

Church Food Pantry

A number of churches around Belvidere, Illinois have food pantries for those in their neighborhoods who are in need of food items.

Churches operate with food donations gathered and deliver to the food pantry nearest you by individuals using food drives.

Some churches also deliver food items to elderly who are unable to drive to a nearest community food pantry. Please contact your local church directly.

We have located 1 Church Food Pantry locations in Belvidere, Illinois which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.

Life Church Roscoe Campus - Food Pantry

Services provided :

  • food pantry

Appointments :

You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (815) 623-7625 to book your appointment.

Address :

5910 Elevator Rd,
Roscoe, IL 61073.
Get Directions

Hours Of Operations :

  • Mon:
  • Tues:
  • Wed:
  • Thurs:
  • Fri:
  • Sat:
  • Sun:

Help Residents of Cities:

  • Roscoe

Help Residents of Counties:

  • Winnebago

Catholic Charities Food Pantry

Resources provided by the Catholic Charity organization focus on addressing food, holiday, and immigration needs.

Families of all religions, backgrounds, and cultures can contact Catholic Charity centers for help.

Catholic Charities in Belvidere, Illinois are open to families on a first-come, first-serve basis. The centers operate during normal business hours, and provide walk-ins with groceries, food boxes, and items to prepare a meal.

The food pantries are like grocery stores, allow clients the ability to choose the items they need from the groceries that are available on site.

First-time clients of the food pantry will need to apply, and this is done from a one-page application. An applicant will need to provide basic household member as well as demographic information.

We have located 0 Catholic Charities Food Pantry locations in Belvidere, Illinois which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.

Helping Hands Food Pantry

Helping Hands is a faith-based 501(c)(3) food pantry operated around Belvidere, Illinois almost entirely by volunteers.

It provides a 7-day supply of groceries and personal care items free of charge to people in need, regardless of their religious beliefs.

Helping Hands is supported entirely by donations from individuals, service organizations, churches, and businesses in our community.

Find a local helping hands food pantry open near you.

We have located 0 Helping Hand Food Pantry locations in Belvidere, Illinois which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.

Mobile Food Pantry

The mobile food pantry program distributes food directly to families in communities around Belvidere, Illinois in need during large-scale one-day distributions.

A typical mobile pantry serves 200-250 families distributing up to 10,000 pounds of food. This past year over 6.6 million pounds were distributed through this program.

Mobile food pantries usually visit churches, community centers, schools, shopping centers, and other convenient locations. They usually go to areas where there aren't grocery stores or other food pantries.

Mobile Food Pantry Schedule 2024

Unlike traditional food pantries where you go to them, mobile pantry trucks come to you. Food banks sometimes have an online mobile food pantry schedule.

Mobile food pantry scheduled to visit a community once a week or once a month. There may be last-minute cancellations or changes so recheck the mobile food pantry schedule before you plan to go.

We have located 0 Mobile Food Pantry locations in Belvidere, Model.Content.StateName which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.

St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry

The St. Vincent de Paul food pantry operates around Belvidere, Illinois much like a grocery store where people in need can choose their own food. It helps to enhance their personal dignity and reduces waste due to unwanted food items.

It also helps them to be proactive in addressing any underlying health issues. This is our model of choice for food pantries in the future.

We have located 0 St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry locations in Belvidere, Illinois which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.

Food Pantry Delivery Program

Food Pantry Delivery Program delivers food and other products once a month at twenty points in around Belvidere, Illinois area. This makes it just a bit easier for some of more remote rural agencies to receive their products. About 70% of members take advantage of the Food Pantry Delivery Program.

Food Pantry

We have located 2 Food Pantry locations in Belvidere, Illinois which provides a wide array of services. We have partnered so you can also check your eligibility.

M.O.R.E. Food Pantry

The M.O.R.E. Food Pantry will serve anyone in the Marengo Community High School District. You will be asked to prove your residency and to confirm that you fall within Federal income guidelines. The purpose of the food pantry is to supplement household food supplies. Limitations on quantities of food are placed according to family size. Clients may use the food pantry 26 times per year and may receive holiday food boxes. A special Northern Illinois Food Bank Mobile Market truck is also available to clients at least twice a year. Our largest sources of food are donations from individuals, organizations and churches. Food drives are conducted throughout the year and the community has a giving spirit. Donations of food may be dropped off at the M.O.R.E. Center during regular hours, Wisted's Piggly Wiggly, or Sullivan's Foods Grocery Store. M.O.R.E. Center is a member of the Northern Illinois Food Bank and falls under its guidelines for food intake, storage and distribution. NIFB provides food to M.O.R.E. in several ways. Food is collected from businesses and redistributed to members of NIFB. Government commodities of meat and agricultural surpluses are distributed through NIFB. Also, NIFB makes large purchases of food and sells it to its members at greatly reduced prices when compared to supermarkets (view NIFB Food Boxes page). NIFB also provides a Mobile Market food truck. For $650, M.O.R.E. purchases nearly 10,000 pounds of food to be distributed immediately. M.O.R.E. has been providing this service twice a year.

Services provided :

  • food pantry

Appointments :

You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (815) 568-7950 to book your appointment.

Address :

829 Greenlee St,
Marengo, IL 60152.
Get Directions

Hours Of Operations :

  • Mon:
  • Tues:
  • Wed:
  • Thurs:
  • Fri:
  • Sat:
  • Sun:

Help Residents of Cities:

  • Marengo

Help Residents of Counties:

  • McHenry

Belvidere/Boone County Food Pantry

Belvidere/Boone County Food Pantry formed its Board of Directors in April 2004; and opened its doors on February 1, 2005. We are a 501(c)(3) agency and are registered with the Attorney General’s Office and are members of the Chamber of Commerce. Belvidere/Boone County Food Pantry’s mission is to help those facing hard times until they are able to be self-sufficient. Our goal is to give people hope and to make a difference in their lives. The Boone County area’s economical position has been on high alert during recent years. In 2009, it was placed on the State of Illinois’ Poverty Warning List by the Heartland Alliance’s Mid American Institute on Poverty in its 2009 Report on Illinois Poverty. As of August 2010, the number of unemployed individuals in Boone County was nearly 4,000 as reported by the Illinois Department of Employment Security. This number is not adjusted for individuals who have exhausted all unemployment benefits and are still searching for work. The current population of Boone County is approximately 54,000. Currently, the unemployment rate in Boone County is at 10.2%. Twenty-seven percent of the population is living in poverty. The Belvidere/Boone County Food Pantry was established to serve those underprivileged in the Boone County area. We seek to serve all residents who fall below the poverty level income guidelines as established by the Department of Human Services. Not only do we offer our clients food products, but we also offer non-food and clothing items. In the non-food area, we offer products such as shampoo, diapers, cleaning products, and light bulbs. Our clients also have access to furniture, appliances, and much more. No money ever exchanges hands between clients and the pantry. We also offer a job readiness program to assist in making our clients become more employable. We have worked diligently to develop meaningful partnerships with outside agencies that work with us to provide services such as mental healthcare, nutritional information, and assistance applying for State aide; such as SNAP benefits or LIHEAP.

Services provided :

  • food pantry

Appointments :

You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (815) 569-1571 to book your appointment.

Address :

200 S Fifth St,
Capron, IL 61012.
Get Directions

Hours Of Operations :

  • Mon:
  • Tues:
  • Wed:
  • Thurs:
  • Fri:
  • Sat:
  • Sun:

Help Residents of Cities:

  • Capron

Help Residents of Counties:

  • Boone

Drive-thru Food Pantries

Since the start of the coronavirus, drive-thru food pantries have become the safest, most efficient way to provide food to our struggling neighbors.

Who can visit a drive-thru pantry?

Drive-thru pantries are open for anyone who needs help getting food. There are no eligibility criteria. Visitors do not need to provide any identification or income statements.

Only two piece of information is asked

  • You Zipcode, and
  • Number of people in their family.

You dont need to take appointment. Drive-thru pantries are first-come, first served so plan to arrive early.

How do drive-thru pantries actually work?

There are lot of volunteers help at Drive-thru food pantries. While not all drive-thru pantries operate in the same way, here�s how most work:

Staff and volunteers direct visitors to the parking area.

Visitors pull up to the pantry in their car and are usually guided into a clearly marked queue. As people move through the pantry, staff will continue to move the cars forward to get everyone through as quickly and safely as possible.

Checkin.

You are required to fill some information for Pantry's recording keeping.

Food is loaded into the cars.

Pre-packed bags of food, usually full of shelf-stable items like pasta, canned fruit and peanut butter, as well as fresh produce and meats are loaded by volunteers into the trunk of the car.

Pet Food Pantry

One in four pet owners who give up their pets to a shelter say it is because they cannot afford to care for them. Pet Food Pantries are designed to fill the void in the nation�s current assistance programs that exclude the purchase of food and supplies for family pets.

The Pet Food Pantry provides free pet food, for 3 months or less, to pet owners who cannot afford to feed their pets in Belvidere, Illinois

Who are eligible for Pet Food Pantry

Pet Food Pantry helps people who are:

  • All ages, races and marital status
  • Unemployed or underemployed
  • Retired, living on social security or other limited income
  • Physically or mentally disabled
  • Experiencing homelessness or housing instability

Tips for Visiting a Food Pantry

Show up early.

This is very important. This means you will be first in line and have a chance to get the items that are sought after and in limited quantities such as fresh produce, dairy and frozen food.

You don't usually need to show up hours ahead of time but coming at least an hour before is usually a good idea.

Remember all documentation.

Many food pantries require documentation to prove who you are, and in some cases, where you live.

This is to make sure people are not coming more than they are allowed or using fake names to do so. Call ahead of time to find out what documentation is needed.

It's just your photo ID and a piece of mail that verifies your address.

Use several food banks.

Using more than one food bank (when available) is smart because you may be able to get something at one that you may not get at another.

For instance, one may have a deal with a local gardener that gives them their extras. This may mean this food bank has more produce.

Eligible for other programs?

Ask your Department of Social Services office if you are eligible for other assistance programs to supplement your household’s food supply.

They can easily tell you if you can apply for WIC (Women and Infant Children), USDA Commodities or SNAP(Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.

Ask about extras.

If you have special needs for infants or special diets, the pantries may be able to assist you.

Many times, they can help with diapers, baby formula, baby food, personal hygiene products, and even special diet items like gluten free or sugar free foods.

Go on different days of the week.

Depending on the food pantry, they may be open only one or two days a week or they may be open all seven days. When you have a choice, going midweek is often best as it is less crowded.

Be polite to workers.

Nearly everyone at a food bank is a volunteer. Be polite to the workers there as they often deal with highly emotional situations.

FAQ(Frequently Asked Questions)

1. What is the difference between a food bank and a food pantry?

Independent community food pantries are self-governing and usually distribute food to their clients on a once-a-month basis. A food bank is the storehouse for millions of pounds of food and other products that go out to the community. A food pantry functions as the arms that reach out to that community directly.

2. What kind of food is at a food pantry?

Specifically, food banks often need items like:

  • Peanut butter
  • Canned soup
  • Canned fruit
  • Canned vegetables
  • Pasta
  • Canned beans
  • Canned stew
  • Canned fish

3. Who can go to food pantry?

At the majority of food pantries, eligibility is based on self-attested need. You do not need to have a referral, and income is not a factor to receive food.

4. What is the difference between a food pantry and a soup kitchen?

A food pantry provides three-day food packages to families that have a place to live, but not enough food. These packages are designed to provide nutritionally balanced meals. Soup kitchens serve individuals in need of a hot meal, the only meal of the day for many of them.

5. How does a food pantry work?

Food Banks acquire large donations of edible but unmarketable food from the food industry and distribute it to organizations that feed hungry people. Then they provide this food to family in a need.