Rebranded Glen House Food Pantry Aims To Expand Reach In DuPage Co.

GLEN ELLYN, IL — It's only been a few months since the former parsonage at Faith Lutheran Church began to welcome patrons of the Glen Ellyn Food Pantry, but the pantry has now changed its name to reflect this new location's even more welcoming, homey vibe. Now known as Glen House Food Pantry, the pantry also hopes the new name will embody the many towns it serves in Glen Ellyn's neighboring communities.

The pantry relocated in August to the century-old parsonage, after having been operated out of a shared space in Grace Lutheran Church for more than four decades.

The parsonage was donated by Faith Lutheran Church in 2019. The food pantry began construction to revamp the parsonage's interior in 2021.

At the time, pantry board chair Paula Nugent told Patch, "We really liked the idea that the house looked like a home," Nugent said, because the food pantry is "creating a home for [its] clients."

The new space has a larger shopping area with room for carts, administrative offices and a classroom space that may be used for cooking demos in the future. The Glen House Food Pantry now features more ADA-accessible accommodations.

Additionally, its new location at 55 Park Blvd. near Roosevelt Road features additional parking and is more central for patrons coming from nearby communities, Glen House Food Pantry Executive Director Laura Glaza told Patch Wednesday.

Glaza said the pantry looks forward to further serving community members following an increase in donation and patronage in 2023.

She explained, "Last year, the Pantry distributed 866,000 pounds of food. In 2023, we were able to increase that number due to increased need and more donations to more than 1 million pounds."

Glaza said the pantry gained more than 700 new clients last year, having served 7,000 resident in 2023. This reflects a more than 20 percent increase in patrons compared to 2022.

To accompany the rebranding, Glen House Food Pantry is reworking its website and hoping to continue increasing awareness about food insecurity throughout greater DuPage County.

Glaza said of the new pantry name, "We have a long history in the community, and we wanted to recognize that while also needing to make it clear that we serve neighbors who live, work, or attend school in DuPage County. The name is a reflection of our Glen Ellyn roots and well as our recent relocation to a renovated house – the latter of which sets us apart from other pantries."

Glen House Food Pantry is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Extended hours are available on Tuesdays, when the pantry is open from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.