Neighbors Helping Neighbors since 1984.

Who are we?

The Irving Park Community Food Pantry is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping alleviate food insecurity on the Northwest side of Chicago. The purpose of the IPCFP is to provide hunger relief services, hunger education and awareness and advocacy to influence anti-hunger policy.

Our goal is to provide caring, consistent service through an equitable distribution of Pantry resources to all clients.

On a weekly basis, our volunteer-run organization serves clients in need, within the 60641 and 60618 zip codes, a 3-5 day supply of food from all food groups.  

Location & Hours

4256 N. Ridgeway Avenue Chicago, IL 60618

The Irving Park Community Food Pantry is located within the Emanuel United Methodist Church at 4256 N. Ridgeway (60618). We are open every Wednesday morning from 9 a.m. to noon and on the second Tuesday night of every month from 6 to 7 p.m.


Hours of Operation:

Wednesdays 9:00am - 12:00pm

second Tuesday of every month 6:00pm - 7:00pm

If you live within our service area, please come in during operating hours! We will register you as a client for monthly food allotments based on your family size or direct you to a food pantry that serves your neighborhood.


Dates for Tuesday evening (6 to 7 p.m.) distributions for 2024:

January 9, 2024 July 9. 2024

February 13, 2024 August 13, 2024

March 12, 2024 September 10, 2024

April 9, 2024 October 8, 2024

May 14, 2024 November 12, 2024

June 11, 2024 December 10, 2024

HOLIDAY CLOSURES

The Pantry will be closed for the holidays on December 25, 2024 and January 1, 2025.
Regular distributions of food will begin again from 9 a.m. til noon on Wednesday, January 8th and 6 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 14th.

 LATEST NEWS & UPDATES:

BRING YOUR OWN BAGS BEGINNING MARCH 6th!

The Pantry will no longer have plastic bags available to provide to clients as of Wednesday March 6th. Clients must bring their own reusable bags to take food home. Several resusable bags will be provided in March during the client’s first visit, and they are encouraged to bring their own. Those who don’t bring their reusable bags after their first visit will be offered leftover cardboard boxes to gather their groceries together.

PANTRY BASKET PROGRAM UNDERWAY

The Pantry has begun its annual spring basket program, in which we will give baskets of toys and goodies to our clients’ children 12 years and younger throughout March (prior to Easter on March 31st). We are still collecting donations for the program, which continues until the end of the month.

We are asking for donations of dollar-store plastic bucket-style Easter baskets (please don’t donate other types to aid consistency), along with plush animals, filled (with candy or toys) plastic eggs, small toys and wrapped candies. Contactless donations of items can be made using our Amazon registry. That list also can be used to buy similar items locally (they don’t need to be exact matches).

Locally purchased donations can be taken to the Big Helpers store at 4184 N. Elston Ave. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday through Friday or the enclosed front porch at 3833 N. Tripp Ave. at any time.

We encourage organizations to do their own collections or create assembled baskets. Please program coordinator Jason Tebbe at tebbe.g@gmail.com for details of what’s included in the baskets or arrange a special delivery of donations.

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May 2023: PANTRY REMOVES MANDATORY MASK POLICY

The Irving Park Community Food Pantry will remove the mandatory mask policy and shift to a mask-optional policy beginning May 1, 2023. This decision was made after careful consideration and aligns with the end of the national and Illinois state public health emergency related to the COVID-19 virus, set to expire on May 11, 2023. Chicago currently has no COVID-19 restrictions related to vaccination, masking, travel or gatherings of any size. The IPCFP will continue to monitor and evaluate necessity of masking and reserves the right to implement policies as we see fit to protect the health of our clients and volunteers. N93 and medical masks are available at the Pantry for anyone wishing to wear one.

Food insecurity is the state of being without a reliable or sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.

“The COVID19 crisis disproportionately affects low-income families and hourly workers. Many people face health issues, less income or both.”

— Greater Chicago Food Depository

“1 in 7 people in Cook County experience food insecurity .”

— Feeding America

“Households with children are nearly 1.5x more likely to experience food insecurity than households without children .”

— U.S. Department of Agriculture