This is a food bank for the poor and in need and they accept volunteers all the time to help with…read morethe massive work of sorting donated food to be distributed to those in need. You can come on a weekend and work in their warehouse of food and sort the food by dates to make sure old food or opened packages don't get sent to those in need by mistake. Old food (that is close to the sell by date) is sent to the local zoos to help defray costs and waste.

From the owner: Our vision at Northern Illinois Food Bank is for everyone in Northern Illinois to have the food…read morethey need to thrive. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and proud member of Feeding America, we serve our neighbors in 13 counties with dignity, equity and convenience, providing 250,000 meals a day. We bring together manufacturers, local & corporate grocers, area farmers, corporations, foundations, and individuals who donate food and funding, and each week volunteers help us evaluate, repack, and distribute food. We also proudly partner with more than 900 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and youth & senior feeding programs to provide nutritious food & resources. Distribution centers are located in Geneva, Park City, Rockford and Joliet.

Awesome service pantry is very neat clean food is good. The food is up-to-date. Sometimes most of…read morethe time I recommend this place to you.

They are very friendly, kind, helpful, and quick! They make the food pantry experience a pleasant…read moreone!

New location on Lincoln Avenue is big and beautiful. We dropped off food donations and were warmly…read moregreeted by volunteers. The operation appeared well staffed and very busy, which made my heart happy. Donations were being sorted and I was so impressed by the organization of tasks, volunteers and efficiency of the facility.

Common Pantry is the best pantry that I have received food from the director Ms. Margaret is very…read morenice and the volunteers are nice and friendly. Quick service great atmosphere I thank God for them they help a lot of people, please check them out they are very professional and helpful. I have spread the word to friends and family.

This entire operation is to grab your information (name, phone, email, age) and sell it to…read morecompanies so you can be spammed to death from Pakistan, India, etc. on selling you services for poorer people. They won't give you food unless you give them a state ID or driver's license- they want your info! Food: Lots of over-processed stuff that causes cancers, diabetes, inflammation. Lots of products with High Fructose Corn Syrup, MSG, salts, etc...

I am very pleased with the work done by NI Food Bank. I know some people have complained about…read moretheir treatment when volunteering. ("Nothing to do". "Sat there for 15 minutes.", etc.). This is most regrettable. But the objective of this and any charity to provide assistance to all those in need. That is the end goal for everyone participating in some form or fashion. Almost everyone there is engaged in inspecting and packaging food. I'm sorry a few felt left out. But that's no reason to dis a very fine charity that serves hundreds of thousands of people throughout Illinois. It's not about you. It's about those in need.

This review covers Food Services ONLY and does not cover the Care Team, Dental Service, Legal…read moreService, Job Services & Any other services they offer. That being said this facility is a great resource to the community and if you need any type of assistance feel free to reach out to them, they can either provide it or give you a referral to a place that can help. Facility: The facility is large and well decorated, acoustics in the facility favor noise transmission so you'll want to gear up with some ibuprofen if there's a ton of babies in the waiting area on the day you are there because it can get headachy fast! The food pantry area is in the midsection of the Care Center and is well appointed with a wide selection of foods. Unlike other food pantries in the area this one you can quite often and easily find high end foods at. This is great for me because living on Disability doesn't give me a lot of opportunity to shop for upper end foods like fish on my own dime. Don't expect any visit here to be an in and out affair, wait times typically range from 30 minutes to an hour. It is once in a blue moon that you'll get an in and out day. Staff: Volunteers are always helpful and courteous. No problems to report here however around the holidays and Easter they can get a bit pushy. I don't buy the Evangelical flavor of Christianity. Though it's not their fault. They are only doing what management wants. Accessibility: They have automatic doors but they are rarely in working order. This is why they are getting docked a star. If you have automatic doors, maintain them properly please! Grades Facility: A- (acoustics are not preferable to an enjoyable time.) Staff: A (Can't get an A+ with managers that tell volunteers to be pushy about religion in a community service building) Accessibility: B (Fix those doors!) Overall Grade: A

Did you know that one in six people within Cook County don't even know where their next meal will…read morecome from? Did you know that most of these people live in your own neighborhood, go to school with your kids, and pass by you on the street? In 1981, a volunteer at Willow Creek Church (within affluent Barrington) heard that families within the church struggling to put food on their tables. He purchased groceries, put them in his trunk, and gave them away to those in need. People came together and formed the Food Pantry. A few years later, some mechanic friends had the idea to fix cars for single mothers -- for free -- and created C.A.R.S. These services, along with ESL services, legal consulting, and employment counseling became available for those in need within the Care Center (originally the Food Pantry). The Center has been in Hoffman Estates for the past few years with more than 2,000 volunteers. I have been serving for the past six months and am in awe of how much they help the community. Today, on June 3, 2013, the new 60,000 square foot Care Center opened on Willow Creek's main campus in South Barrington. It is absolutely amazing. The center has several dedicated spaces surrounding its' gorgeous waiting area: a large, full-choice food pantry (families in need can come once a month to receive free groceries), a children's clothing store with sizes infant through 14/XL (families can come twice a year and it costs $5 per child), an eye & dental clinic ($20 per exam), a car repair shop, a large Kid's Zone child care center (to watch the kids while parents are using services in the building), classroom space, and a computer lab (to open in Fall of 2013). The Care Center offers ESL (English as a Second Language) classes, as well as a GED course (high school equivalency) for Spanish speakers. Volunteers also mentor at-risk youth through partnerships with local schools. Also available are one-on-one consultations and workshops addressing topics such as job search, résumé writing, networking, and preparing for an interview. Job fairs with local employers are also held throughout the year. Legal services with a trusted attorney are here for anyone who needs advice and cannot afford a layer, as well as tax preparation services during tax season. The center even offers homeless individuals and families overnight shelter on Thursdays during colder months as part of PADS. For people with homes, volunteers can assist homeowners with minor repairs so home is a safe place to live. Most services require eligibility screening. Families seeking care will need to bring photo ID and proof of current address (recent utility bill, lease, mortgage statement, medical card). Some services also require proof of income, proof of child ID, and other information. You can find this on the Care Center website, along with a full description of the services and workshops available. Although this place is affiliated with a church, they do not push God on you. They built this to serve those in need within the community. That's it. Don't be wary of coming here if religion is not your thing! If you're looking for a place to volunteer -- this is it! If you're someone in need of these services -- come here!! You'll be amazed. (I actually wrote too much in this review and maxed out at 5000 characters, so I had to cut a lot of information out and just leave the basics! Crazy!)

This place is such a blessing! Their food pantry has so many healthy options and a huge variety of…read moresnack foods. So happy this place exists. Praise the Lord!

A great local Ravenswood / Lincoln Square organization helping to serve the underserved and hungry…read morein the area. By working with shipping volunteers (among others), shoppers are able to pick out food with dignity. I've only volunteered here once so far but I think they're doing some really good work. Sign up to volunteer via their website!

The Friendship Center is doing some good things for three community…read more I've always wanted to help out my neighbors by volunteering, and what a pleasure it has been to dedicate my time here. TFC treats all shoppers with dignity and respect and does it's best to provide a much-needed service to those in need. Operating in 4-hour increments, shoppers have the opportunity to pick out their choice of groceries from an assortment of items. Shopping volunteers guide them around the pantry and bag the items for the shoppers. Hot meals and delivery meals are also provided on occasion. I encourage anyone interested in volunteering to come by and help out. It could not be easier or more fun. I also encourage anyone in need to check to the website to see if they qualify.