One of the most recent of those was Cereal Bowl V, which took place in mid-December. Students from Rolling Meadows and Elk Grove high schools competed for the fifth year to garner cereal box donations and be declared the Cereal Bowl V winner. Elk Grove High School was victorious this year, and together, the two schools raised a record number of 2,592 boxes of cereal that were donated to the Township food pantry.
In addition to stocking the pantry’s shelves, Cereal Bowl also raises awareness for the greater community about hunger and shows students how working together can impact the lives of others.
Elk Grove Township Supervisor George Busse was honored to present the Cereal Bowl V award to Elk Grove High School, and stated, “Thank you to all the students, teachers, administrators and respective communities for supporting this effort that helps our residents who are experiencing food insecurity and need our food pantry. Everyone should be very proud of this accomplishment.”
There are several seasonal programs also offered, which affords residents the opportunity to give back through volunteering or donations. Please see a breakdown of the seasonal programs offered below, along with an overview of their success in 2021:
The Back-to-School Supply Drive takes place annually leading up to the new school year, where area residents can donate school supplies for District 59 (D59) students whose families are challenged financially. A total of 2,838 school supplies were collected by the Township through generous donations, which helped students to be prepared for success as the school year began.
The Snow Angels program is held during the winter season and will continue as long as the weather remains cold. The Township sponsors this donation drive, in partnership with D59, for snow boots, coats and snow pants that help low-income parents who have difficulty affording new snow gear since children grow so quickly.
Other programs that engage the community include the ‘Souper’ Bowl, where nearly 600 cans of soup were donated to the food pantry. The Thanksgiving Basket program provided 261 holiday meals to in-need families so that they were able to afford and enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings. Donated baskets are filled with non-perishable food items, along with a grocery store gift card to purchase a turkey or meat of choice.
The Township’s Christmas Gift Card program successfully provided holiday cheer for 55 children and senior adults. Gift card donations from community members help give parents who cannot otherwise afford it, the joy of choosing gifts on their children’s wish lists, as well as the giving of gift cards to senior citizens in need.
Elk Grove Township would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all area residents who help to fulfill the mission, and who remain focused on empowering our neighbors in need. For more information on any of the services or programs mentioned and how you can help, please call 847-437-0300 or email ga@elkgrovetownship.com.
