Local non-profit opens grocery style food pantry

MACOMB (WGEM) - For the past few months, local non-profit, Good Food Collaborative has been in the process of building a grocery-style food pantry at Western Illinois Regional Council.

Now, after being open for less than a week, GFC has served more than 75 households, amounting to more than 150 McDonough County residents who face food insecurity.

The non-profit for the past year has only been a mobile food pantry organization, but after talking with WIRC, they decided a storefront would best serve the area.

Previously located at First Presbyterian Church, GFC was delivering to more than 200 households per week.

”The poverty rate of McDonough County is 20%, we have a very high need in McDonough County, I think we’re going to be serving numbers as we have done with our mobile food pantry, in fact I expect we might serve more people,” said FGC Board President, Richard Chamberlain.

Chamberlain said this is the first food pantry of it’s kind in the county.

Upon a customer’s first entry, they will sign up for membership. Afterwards they’ll be escorted by a GFC volunteer to shop. Chamberlain said members are allowed to shop at the pantry once per month.

Monthly income guidelines are enforced to be bale to shop at the pantry.

The guidelines are as follows:

Household of 1 - $2,096
Household of 2 - $2,823
Household of 3 - $3,551
Household of 4 - $4,279
Household of 5 - $5,006
The storefront is located at 133 W. Jackson Street.
They’re open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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