West Suburban Community Pantry serves over 500 families weekly in DuPage and Will Counties, where 1 in 10 residents is in need of food assistance. As inflation and rising grocery prices widen the food insecurity gap, the Pantry continues to deliver outside-the-box ways to best serve local neighbors needing support. Need is especially high during the holiday season as families struggle to meet household demands while providing some holiday cheer to their children.
From launching its contactless, virtual food pantry to its innovative partnerships with community organizations and corporate sponsors, West Suburban Community Pantry is committed to breaking down barriers to food assistance. The three-fold effort includes implementing new services to best meet people where they are; encouraging volunteerism; and educating current and prospective donors about food insecurity and ways to help.
Locally headquartered Instant Brands, maker of consumer favorites like Instant Pot®, Pyrex® and more, recently joined forces with West Suburban Community Pantry to help carry out the organization’s mission.
“One of the challenges that safety net organizations face is the misperception that food insecurity doesn’t exist in the suburbs,” explained Lisa Spaeth, Development Director, West Suburban Community Pantry. “So, when a global company like Instant Brands reaches out, offering to help us chip away at food insecurity in the Western Suburbs, we see it as a sign that our education and awareness-building efforts are making an impact.”
Instant Brands saw an opportunity to help West Suburban Community Pantry and the families it serves most immediately by making groceries stretch further this holiday season. As a first step in the partnership, Instant Brands has donated pallets of its Pyrex® glass food storage solutions for distribution during the Pantry’s annual Harvest Week leading into Thanksgiving.
“As food pantries are getting hit hard by rising food costs, we have an opportunity to help,” said Ben Gadbois, President and CEO of Instant Brands. “We’re honored to play a small role in West Suburban Community Pantry’s efforts to help eradicate food insecurity and we hope to inspire others to help tackle this incredibly difficult, yet solvable problem. We are all connected in some way.”
“We are so honored to work with Instant Brands on this effort,” said Pantry Executive Director Laura Coyle. “As consumers, we all have appreciated the benefits that Pyrex products provide for preparing foods and storing leftovers to stretch our own food budget. For the company to understand how this will support our families is truly a gift this holiday season. We look forward to a relationship with Instant Brands that furthers the cause of ending hunger.”
In December, Instant Brands will hold an employee-run food drive at its Downers Grove global headquarters and Chicago/Merchandise Mart locations, with all donations benefiting the West Suburban Community Pantry. In the months ahead, Instant Brands will provide employee volunteer opportunities, ongoing product donations, and work with the Pantry on recipes, tips and tricks to help stretch food dollars.
About Instant Brands
Instant Brands designs, manufactures and markets a global portfolio of innovative and iconic consumer lifestyle brands: Instant®, Pyrex®, Corelle®, Corningware®, Snapware®, Chicago Cutlery® and Visions.® With people-first and purpose-driven solutions in mind, Instant Brands is reimagining how people live, eat, connect, and play inside the home—and in the spaces where people gather. The Cornell Capital-backed company is headquartered in Downers Grove, Ill., and employs more than 2,400 people across four continents. Today, Instant Brands’ products are in millions of homes worldwide. For more information visit Instant Brands or join the community at Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
About West Suburban Community Pantry
West Suburban Community Pantry (WSCP) provides food and resources to people facing hunger, unlocking access to nutritious meals and strengthening hope for tomorrow. Rooted in our community for 50 years, we offer an in-person food pantry, Virtual Food Pantry, and senior home delivery program to households in DuPage County, Bolingbrook and Romeoville. We also run child nutrition programs and connect families with financial assistance and free workshops. Every day, WSCP is moving closer to our vision of a community without hunger thanks to the support of individuals, businesses and organizations. Together, we are nourishing our community so everyone has access to the food they need to succeed. Visit www.wscpantry.org and find us on Facebook and Instagram to learn more.