A Lincoln Elementary School student recently celebrated her eighth birthday with a party. Addie asked her guests to bring a donation for Barb Food Mart instead of buying gifts for her. The result was $50 for the DeKalb food pantry. What an amazing kid!
Barb Food Mart celebrated its fifth anniversary in June. It was started by two retired teachers, who had seen too many hungry kids in their classrooms. As one of the founders said, “It’s hard to learn when you’re hungry.”
Last year, 60 percent of the children in the DeKalb School District qualified for free or reduced lunches. That’s 6 out of every 10 kids.
The pantry is located at Huntley Middle School and serves families in DeKalb School District 428. It is open on Thursdays year round between 4:30 and 6 pm. On offer are fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, gallons of milk and other dairy, canned goods, cereal, bread, and dried beans and rice.
Much of the food comes from the Northern Illinois Food Bank, which sells healthier food options at a reduced rate to pantries. What Addie may not have known is that her $50 donation will buy $400 worth of food.
Barb Food Mart could not do what it does without the time and money of many many generous people. Thank you to Addie, and to her parents, for joining this giving community.
Learn more about the pantry at barbfoodmart.org.
I’m Deborah Booth and that’s my perspective.
