5 Fox Valley Locations Plan Food Collection To Help Neighbors In Need

FOX VALLEY, IL — Local pantries are joining efforts Nov. 15 to help Fox Valley residents affected by cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

From 8:10 a.m. to noon Saturday, locals are encouraged to donate pantry and household items to places in five towns along the Fox River.

"Let's show up for our neighbors and make sure no one is left behind," organizers at We Can Lead Change wrote in an email.

We Can Lead Change shared a list of what food items are needed on its website. Donations can be dropped off at the following locations:

• United Methodist Church of Geneva, parking lot next to 211 Hamilton St.
• Congregational Church of Batavia, 21 S. Batavia Ave.
• Bethlehem Lutheran Church, parking lot at 1145 N. Fifth Ave. in St. Charles
• Silver Glen Crossing, public parking lot at Silver Glen and Randall roads in South Elgin
• Carpenter Park, 300 Carpenter Blvd. in Carpentersville

The U.S. Department of Agriculture froze SNAP payments at the start of November, saying it could no longer keep funding it due to the government shutdown. Days later, President Donald Trump’s administration said it would partially fund SNAP payments to Illinois recipients after a pair of judges' rulings required it to keep the food aid program running.

On Thursday, as the record-breaking 43-day government shutdown came to an end, the Illinois Department of Human Services announced it would restore full SNAP benefits.

RELATED: House Votes To End Shutdown: See How IL Delegation Voted