Business Booming for Soup Kitchens

By Timmy Watson in News on Dec 17, 2006 7:55PM

Food pantries are seeing a rise in use in the Chicago area this year. Sister Donna Preston of the Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation says a big reason for the spike is the the use of the facilities by illegal immigrants, who are eligible for food stamps but neglect to apply due to fear of deportation.

According to Chicago Public Radio, the federation says there were over 100,000 visitors to the food pantries in October alone. Preston also said that there a big percentage of the working poor using food pantries around Chicago. The growing gap between the rich and the poor is most likely rearing its ugly head as families are more inclined to visit at the end of the month, when they are unable to provide food for their family.

Earlier in the year, researchers found that there has been an 18 percent increase in the use of relief organizations and soup kitchens. This is the time of the year when the number of volunteers rises dramatically, according to Preston the number then drops significantly. We will keep this in mind when the weather drops again in January, and we will be sure to keep you up to date on any volunteer opportunities in the area.