By Josh Bootsma
LANSING, Ill. (December 21, 2022) – The Lansing Community Food Pantry held its annual meeting on Tuesday, December 13, recapping another year of distributing food and other necessities for Lansing residents in need.
The pantry is located in the basement of the Lansing Assembly. They open every Tuesday throughout the year to serve Lansing residents who need not only food but also conversation and connection.
Statistics behind the generosity
From January through the end of October this year, the pantry tallied 1,308 household visits, comprising 3,437 individuals. These numbers refer to each time a household or person visits the pantry, even repeat recipients.
In the same period last year, the pantry served 1,084 households, representing 3,187 people. In 2020, the total number of people served was 4,252, and in 2019, before the pandemic, the total was 5,088.
30% of food pantry recipients are ages 18 and under, 50% are ages 19–64, and 20% are seniors 65 and older.
Community support
Lansing Community Food Pantry Secretary Barb Lessner shared those statistics with the group of 18 volunteers gathered in the Lansing Assembly sanctuary. The meeting was held after the pantry’s regular food service hours on Tuesday, December 13.
“We have a lot of community support, which is wonderful,” Lessner said.
Both Lessner and pantry co-chairperson Karen Adams praised Lansing organizations, businesses, churches, and residents for their generosity.
“We can’t give it out fast enough,” Adams said of the food and other necessities the pantry receives from its donors. “It’s just amazing how supportive the community is.”
Before ending the 20-minute annual meeting, volunteers briefly discussed streamlining systems to make sure recipients don’t accidentally leave food bags behind during the check-out process.
For more information about the Lansing Community Food Pantry, located at 2990 Ridge Road in Lansing, read the article below, from 2021:
- The Lansing Community Food Pantry: Open for giving and receiving (March 11, 2021)
