Food insecurity remains an endemic problem in communities
nationwide, including the North Side of Chicago. Rain BDM Content Strategist and Consultant Dave Argentar and his wife Kathy have called the area home for over three decades. It is also where Common Pantry has spent over 50 years meeting the local community’s emergency needs by providing healthy food, kinship, and support to help overcome poverty-related challenges like hunger.
U.S. Census Bureau data shows about 26.5 million Americans reported sometimes or often not having enough to eat, a figure that has risen with the end of pandemic-era aid programs and higher food prices. Common Pantry has been battling food insecurity since 1967 and donated 568,105 pounds of food in 2022, serving an average of 595 households per month. It is committed to continuously strengthening its capacity to provide food relief and support services for the overall well-being of its clients through its strategic, forward-thinking approach to reducing hunger in the region and addressing the root causes of poverty.
Dave and Kathy are long-time supporters of Common Pantry, and Rain BDM has been proud to contribute to this organization’s important work for several years, sponsoring its annual gala and main fundraiser, “I Am Your Neighbor,” each October.
In a major milestone, Common Pantry purchased its own facility in 2021, and the new, expansive space opened to serve the public in August 2023. It is accessible for those with physical challenges or mobility issues, meeting ADA accessibility requirements. It also features a large communal dining space, a commercial kitchen used for the weekly hot lunch program, and a grocery shopping area, among other improvements.
Visit the Common Pantry website for more information on how to volunteer your time or donate to this worthy cause.
