The Fox Valley Marine Corps League and Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry will hold their first Memorial Day Pantry in honor of veterans and Gold Star families Friday, May 28. All veterans, Gold Star families and active service members are invited to Aurora Food Pantry at 1110 Jericho Road between 10 a.m. and noon to receive a gift of food, including meat, milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, and non-perishable items to enjoy at home. Participants are asked to bring a photo ID.
For the last four years, Aurora Food Pantry has been host to an annual Veterans Pantry around Veterans’ Day, serving an average 90 veterans, many of whom had never been to Aurora Food Pantry. Aurora Food Pantry hopes to reach more veterans at this year’s event and introduce them to our weekly services. Any veteran in the community is welcome to come on a weekly basis and receive about $140 worth of food at each visit.
The event, occurring the Friday before Memorial Day, is planned as one of the many Memorial Day activities that will take place across the community in honor of our veterans. The cost of the event will be underwritten by the Fox Valley Marine Corps League, Illinois Joining Forces, and the Bob Woodruff Foundation.
“We encourage all veterans to come help us commemorate those that have fallen and honor all of our veterans,” said Kris Kearns, commandant of the Fox Valley Marine Corps League. “This is an opportunity for us to say ‘Thank you’ to everyone who has served their country in the military by sharing a gift of food. We hope all veterans in the community will join us.”
Shannon Cameron, executive director of aurora food pantry, hopes that the community will help to share information about this special event. “While this is a gift for all veterans, we ask that veterans and other community members make a particular effort to extend this invitation to any veterans they know who are struggling, as the gift of food could provide them an additional level of assistance,” said Cameron. “Veterans have given so much to our country and we are honored to serve them.”
— Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry