Oswego-based School District 308 and Kendall County Community Food Pantry are looking to expand a partnership to assist an increasing number of local families seeking food assistance with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The District 308 School Board recently reviewed a proposed intergovernmental agreement to distribute food products one evening a month at the district’s East View Academy at 4209 Route 71 in Oswego.
Traveling to the Kendall County Community Food Pantry in Yorkville can sometimes be a barrier for people who need food, said District 308 Director of Social Emotional Learning Heidi Podjasek.
There were more than 1,100 visits from 288 families to the Kendall County Food Pantry location in Yorkville in the past four months by residents living in the 60543 and 60538 area codes in the school district, she said.
The district held two mobile food pantry events through the Northern Illinois Food Bank in February, April and July which serviced approximately 65, 155 and 126 families respectively.
“We know that the food access needs of families in our communities will continue to increase,” Podjasek said.
The food distribution would be held the first Friday of each month after school hours in the gym at East View Academy beginning in October, Podjasek said.
Per terms of a proposed one-year agreement, the district would provide a location for the food pantry and accommodations for housing shelving, freezers and refrigerators for food storage as well as provide volunteers for the monthly food pantry.
The food pantry would provide perishable and nonperishable food, storage equipment, signage and a client registration system for the Oswego satellite location.
“We are each able to give as part of an equal partnership in order to serve the needs of our families,” Podjasek said.
The food pantry will operate via drive-up services due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, she said.
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The anticipated opening for the Oswego satellite operation would be in October. There is a potential to open the pantry twice a month, she added.
District 308 School Board members were supportive of the proposal.
“I don’t like to see the growing need but I am delighted that we are trying a way to do this,” School Board President Lauri Doyle said.
“It’s a really important (service) for us to provide locally. It’s a really long drive to Yorkville, especially if you don’t have money for gas,” Doyle said.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.