ROCK RIVER VALLEY PANTRY

The RRVP's mission is to provide emergency food to those in need. Currently we provide up to four days of nutritious food, that meets the USDA dietary recommendations. The provisions are appropriate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals. Clients may use our services one time per month and receive the full allotment, if they need additional help they can receive a partial allocation and a list of additional resources in the community. The RRVP volunteer Master Gardeners raise organic produce in our 28 raised bed garden, which supplements the rescued/donated produce that we receive from the local grocery stores.

By operating two locations, both in economically depressed areas, we bring the service to the people who are in need of food for themselves and or family members. Through donations, purchases and state issued commodities clients may select food in the basic food groups that they prefer. We promote our services through local human service agencies, online, through presentations, and the media. In our garden the Master Gardeners introduce clients to produce that they could easily grow themselves, may provide seeds and transplants, and are available to answer questions and offer helpful suggestions. This is a great way for clients to become less dependant on agencies for their food needs.

As an agency that has been providing services for over 40 years we believe that we are capable of meeting the needs to those going hungry in our community. Last fiscal year we had over 23,000 visits and assisted more than 80,000 clients living in those households. Our food rescue program, food donations, garden produce, and food purchases allowed us to distribute more than 1,500,000 pounds of food. A small staff, but a large corps of volunteers, enable the RRVP to fulfill it's role in the community.

We deliver services five days a week and operate two sites, one site located in a sliding scale community health clinic.
Our partnerships are numerous and include, but are not limited to: regional food bank and local pantries, U of IL Extension office, homebound food delivery, emergency pet food pantry, and a resource area for job placement, GED studies, supplemental insurance for the poor and disabled.
We were recognized in 2015 as the Excelsior winner. A prestigious community based honor that we had been nominated for numerous times, and finally awarded.