Loaves & Fishes Community Services announced the launch of Hub 2.0, a transformational facility expansion designed to significantly increase access to fresh, healthy food for families across DuPage, Kane, Kendall, and Will Counties. Hub 2.0 is the cornerstone of Nourish Together, a bold regional initiative that can more than double the number of neighbors served and strengthen collaboration with partner food pantries.
Supporting this initiative, Loaves & Fishes is also honored to announce a landmark lead gift of $5 million through the newly established Impact Award from the Endeavor Health Community Investment Fund. Loaves & Fishes is the first organization selected to receive this new grant, underscoring the regional significance of the project and the urgency of improving food access for families in our region. This lead commitment provides crucial momentum for the Nourish Together initiative.
As the largest food pantry in the state of Illinois, Loaves & Fishes is currently serving more than 10,000 people each week—the highest levels in its 41-year history. This scale is achieved through our regional hub and spoke distribution model anchored by the Aurora Hub, where food is received, stored, and prepared for distribution. From there, food is delivered to 13 distribution points or “spokes” across the community, including the Naperville Market, ensuring families can access fresh, healthy food close to where they live. This coordinated regional approach has strengthened efficiency, expanded access, and lowered our cost to serve clients by 40%.
To build on this proven model and meet rising need, Loaves & Fishes is launching a community-centered expansion that adds 32,000 square feet, doubling the size of the current Aurora Hub facility and nearly quadrupling cold storage capacity, which is essential for distributing healthy food. Hub 2.0 will expand Loaves & Fishes’ reach by creating additional spoke locations in neighborhoods with the greatest unmet need, bringing healthy food even closer to families across the region. It will also elevate collaboration across the charitable food network by providing dedicated space at no cost for partner pantries and supporting distribution of healthy food. Construction is expected to begin in 2026 and be completed in 2027.
The Endeavor Health Community Investment Fund Impact Award is designed to support collaborative, five-year initiatives that drive measurable, long-term change in the communities Endeavor Health serves. This award provides approximately $1 million per year for five years, focusing on initiatives that improve existing systems and foster innovation through cross-sector partnerships.
— Loaves & Fishes Community Services