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HCS Family Services

Empowering Families. Changing Lives.

Food and Fund Drives

Help Us Put Food on the Table of a Hungry Neighbor

HCS Family Services provides a turkey to a guest

In this season of giving, HCS Family Services invites you to help us put food on the table of a hungry neighbor.

You can make a difference for those who struggle with hunger in our community. With your support, a parent can put a healthy meal on their family’s table. A student can focus on learning rather than their hunger at school. A senior citizen won’t have to choose between eating and paying medical bills. 

To the surprise of many, hunger is an acute issue in our own backyard. Our county has the 2nd largest hungry population in Illinois. One in six northern Illinois children face hunger. Senior hunger is growing quickly.

Do you agree that everyone deserves access to healthy, nutritious foods? Help us get food to those who need it most by making a tax-deductible donation.

Our pantry attendance has grown over 40% in the last six months, so we need your support now more than ever.  Your donation will support the 1,000 families from 24 local communities who use our food pantries in Hinsdale and the Anne M. Jeans Elementary School in Willowbrook.

HCS Family Services was founded in 1937 by community leaders to provide the basic necessities of life to those who needed it most. Today, we ask you to support our founders’ vision with a donation to our local hunger relief work. 

Together, we can do mighty things in our community. With your gift, you’ll join our many community organizations, grocery food rescue partners and 400 volunteers who work so hard to end local hunger and strengthen our community.

How do you coordinate a fundraiser?

By Ken Knutson

Joining the HCS Family Services Junior Board two years ago was a chance to meet people for teen Peter Hughes, having recently returned to Hinsdale.

Now a Hinsdale Central senior, his main objective is helping residents of DuPage County meet their basic needs as chairperson of the Neighbors Helping Neighbors benefit April 11 at Vistro (see Page 20 for details). The second annual event, in which a portion of the restaurant’s proceeds as well as other charitable gifts will support HCS’s two local food pantries, was actually cooked up by Hughes when he was the board’s liaison.

“I had to communicate ideas we had at the board with other people {in the community) at schools and businesses,” said Hughes, who has ascended to co-president of the board this year.

A personal connection with Paul Virant, chef-owner of Vistro and a Hinsdale resident, inspired the idea for the fundraiser.

“It seemed like a good opportunity, and Paul was very helpful in wanting to work \ th us,” Hughes said.

He had never taken on such a task before, however, and sluggish participation initially caused consternation. To Hughes’ relief, reservations picked up as the day approached.

“Our goal last year was $1,000 in donations,” he said. “We ended up raising over $6,000. That’s all because people were \1lling to give and be generous.”

Assistance from fellow board members and friends were vital, Hughes stressed. And he ascribed the success to presenting guests with lists itemizing specific staple groceries they were providing to needy families.

“It was a way that people could see directly where their money was going,” said Hughes, adding that the concept\ be expanded this year.

Hughes also learned the value of perseverance in enlisting resources and coordinating the logistics.

“Ideas are great, but they only have value if you put work into them,” he said. “To make some-thing a reality, you have to put a lot of work into it.

“At first it can seem kind of daunting, but as you start working on a project you begin to realize that people want you to succeed,” Hughes remarked.

He recalled the mantra from the school he attended as freshman: “Lift while you climb.” Having young people lead the lifting is especially meaningful, Hughes suggested.

“It helps those our age realize that the way we live life is very privileged and comes with a responsibility to help others,” he said.

Hughes, who will head to Holy Cross College in the fall to study environmental engineering and compete on the rowing team, is confident junior board members coming after will pick up the baton.

“I want to establish this (event) so that it’s something that will continue for the next few years, at least,” he said. “It’s good to know that what I’m doing is helping to make it easier for other people to move on with their lives. It’s good to know that we as an organization are lightening the load that a lot of these families have economically.”

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