Healthy Kids Food Market
The Greater Chicago Food Depository and Chicago Public Schools teamed up on 12 Healthy Kids Markets in Fiscal Year 2012-2013. Healthy Kids Markets, or food pantries located in schools, provide nutritious food to students and their families who may not be able to visit a traditional food pantry due to work hours or location. In FY 2012-13, Healthy Kids Markets distributed nearly 1.2 million pounds of food, serving 1,600 families each week.
The Food Depository provides a variety of healthy foods, including fresh fruit and vegetables and shelf-stable items like pasta, peanut butter, rice and beans. Volunteers and staff from the school unload, set up and operate the pantry. Each school designates a weekly or bi-monthly pantry time and space, such as the cafeteria, gym or an extra classroom.
