Community Christian Church Hopes to 'Pack the Pantries'

will hold a service celebration Sunday to give the Lemont Food Pantries a boost as they head into the slow summer months.

The downtown Lemont church, located at 102 Stephen St., is partnering with local families, retailers, and the Hope and Friendship Foundation to collect bags of groceries to stock the pantries shelves at and .

Community Christian will skip its regular 9:45 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. services Sunday to collect donations around Lemont. 

There are currently more than 100 families who qualify for assistance through the Lemont Food Pantries. Families are able to visit both pantries once each month. They are also given a voucher to purchase fresh food—such as fruit, vegetables, milk, eggs and bread—at , 1100 State St.

Last month, Lori Olkiewicz, a volunteer at Bethany Lutheran, said the pantries are fortunate to receive donations from residents and community organizations throughout the year. However, they still have difficulty keeping the shelves stocked.

"We had a great holiday season with plenty of donations, but now we're getting ready for summer when school is out and many of the organizations aren't meeting as much," she said. "These are the times we really need support, not just with food but funds to keep the vouchers going."

For more information on the event, contact Beth Gulczynski at tbgulczynski@sbcglobal.net.

Items Needed at the Lemont Food Pantries

Interested in donating non-perishable food items to the Lemont Food Pantries? Needed items include: boxed meals (i.e. Hamburger Helper), canned spaghetti, canned meats, cake and brownie mixes, frosting, cans and jars of fruit, snack cups (i.e. pudding and apple sauce), Pop Tarts, granola bars, microwave popcorn, tea bags, salad dressing, condiments, peanut butter, jelly, marshmallow fluff, jars of cheese, salsa and spreads, and Velveeta.

Other needs include laundry detergent, toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates, napkins, personal care items, and cleaning items.

Items may also be dropped off at Lemont Township, Lemont United Methodist Church (25 Custer St.) or Bethany Lutheran (500 Lemont St.).