Greenfeast Food Pantry Coming to South Shore

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A donated building located at 8658 S. Colfax Ave. will house Greenfeasts new food pantry. Local business, B & B Construction has been providing renovation and board-up services for the property.
A donated building located at 8658 S. Colfax Ave. will house Greenfeasts new food pantry. Local business, B & B Construction has been providing renovation and board-up services for the property.

Greenfeast, a one-year old non-profit organization plans to open a new food pantry at 87th and Colfax. In hopes of offering healthier items than what is normally accessible at food pantries, Greenfeasts goal is to provide organic and fresh foods including fruits and vegetables to the community.

According to their website, Greenfeast is a grassroots relief organization focused on fighting hunger and offering relief and aid to the indigent and those in need. In their efforts they also strive to educate individuals on how to cook, eat and live a healthier lifestyle even when living on a reduced budget or when living through unfortunate circumstances.

Our ultimate goal is to be able to feed everyone facing a hardship, starting on the Southeast side of Chicago and eventually expanding to other areas, said Executive Director of Greenfeast, Adam Hirshman.

In a study, released by the Greater Chicago Food Depository in September, there appears to be a correlation between unemployment and food insecurity, with higher amounts on the West and Southwest Sides of Chicago. In one year, the poverty rate in Chicago rose from 20.6 percent to 21.6 percent in 2009, which equals to about 603,218 people. An estimated 142,400 men, women and children, have received emergency food assistance in 2010 alone and about 47 percent of households say they have had to choose between paying a bill and buying food.

The Greenfeast food pantry will service, but is not limited to Chatham, Avalon Park and the South Chicago area.

A donated building located at 8658 S. Colfax Ave. will house Greenfeasts new food pantry. Local business, B & B Construction has been providing renovation and board-up services for the property.

In addition to food services, Greenfeast seeks to provide employment within the community they serve. We hope to have Greenfeast opened by spring 2012. Ideally we would like to have the doors open before the Easter holiday, expressed Hirshman.

Greenfeast is seeking volunteers to help fundraise. For more information, please visit the Greenfeast website at www.greenfeast.org.

By: Abbra Stiffend

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