Local Vets Invited To Visit Aurora Food Pantry Drive-Thru

AURORA, IL—The Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry is honoring veterans this Memorial Day with more than a salute.

The pantry, located at 1110 Jericho Rd. in Aurora, will host a free, drive-thru, food distribution event for area military personnel on Friday, May 28, from 10 a.m. to noon.

Veterans, active-duty personnel, and Gold Star families are invited to the event where volunteers will load up vehicles with bags of food including meat, milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as non-perishable items. Participants are asked to bring a photo ID.

Shannon Cameron, pantry executive director, said event cosponsors are the Fox Valley Marine Corps League, Illinois Joining Forces, and the Bob Woodruff Foundation.

The event will kick-off at 9:50 a.m. with a prayer. A color guard will post the colors and pantry officials, elected officials, and veterans’ groups representatives have been invited to speak. Students from high school Reserve Officer Training Corps units have also been invited.

Display banners on the pantry’s patio will feature photographs and information about local veterans for visitors to reflect upon.

According to Cameron, Interfaith has hosted an annual veterans' pantry around Memorial Day since 2016. Past pantries served about 90 veterans, including many first-time visitors.

“Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry hopes to reach even more veterans at this year’s event and introduce them to our weekly services,” Cameron said. “Any veteran in the community is welcome to come on a weekly basis and receive about $140 worth of food at each visit."

The veterans’ pantry is among several Memorial Day activities that will take place across the community to honor veterans.

Kris Kearns, Fox Valley Marine Corps League commandant, said “We encourage all veterans to come help us commemorate those that have fallen and honor all of our veterans. 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.”

Cameron explained that it's important to get this message out to veterans that need it most.

“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.”