IV Food Pantry moving to larger building in Peru

The Illinois Valley Food Pantry is moving to a new location.

The pantry, currently located inside a building it has been renting at 122 Wright St., La Salle, has purchased the former Hoover’s Manufacturing Company building at 4133 Progress Blvd. in Peru and will be moving there later this year.

Documents finalizing the sale were signed on Friday.

“We don’t have an exact date yet as to when we will start distributing food in Peru, but we anticipate it will be well before the end of the year,” said Mary Jo Credi, executive director of the food pantry.

Credi cited increasing need for the pantry’s services as the reason for the move.

“We don’t have room at our current location to store all of the food needed by a client list that has grown dramatically in recent years,” she said.

In particular, the La Salle building doesn’t have enough space for the large walk-in freezer and refrigeration units the Pantry wants to buy in which to store the frozen commodities it receives from the River Bend Food Bank and other donors.

On average, the Food Pantry helps about 750 families per month from 12 area towns and cities.

The Hoover Building’s 10,000 square feet of floor space will double the storage capacity the Pantry has now. Plus, the warehouse layout of the building’s interior will make it easier to store, bag and deliver food to IVFP clients, according to Credi.

Pete Lawniczak, president of the Food Pantry’s board of directors, thanked the Greg Knafelc family, owners of the La Salle building the Pantry has been renting, for their generosity and support through the years.

“The Pantry and its clients owe the Knafelcs a big debt of gratitude,” said Lawniczak.

Fund Drive Planned

In conjunction with acquiring a new base of operations, the Food Pantry is launching a $750,000 “Feeding the Future” fundraising drive.

Money raised will be used to support the building purchase and necessary renovations along with the purchase of walk-in coolers and freezers. Information on how to give is available at www.ivfoodpantry.com or by calling 815-224-3658.

The Starved Rock Country Community Foundation is assisting the Food Pantry with its fund drive.

The Illinois Valley Food Pantry was established in 1982. It is a member of the United Way of Illinois Valley and assists people and families dealing with food insufficiency either because of low income or lack of employment or whose public aid and food stamp benefits have been delayed or run out or whose resources have been depleted by sickness or old age.

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An exterior view of the possible future location of the Illinois Valley Food Pantry, located at 4133 Progress Road in Peru. Mayor Ken Kolowski said the pantry plans to make a presentation to the council at a later date. The council referred a petition received from the food pantry and approval of the special use to planning/zoning during Monday night's council meeting. The current building housed Hoover's Manufacturing Company (Scott Anderson)