Area food pantries will remain open

Crowded grocery stores, school closures, library closures, restaurant closures, bar closures and event cancellations. As the community’s day-to-day lives are being disrupted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, local food pantries — fueled by dedicated volunteers — are remaining open to feed those in need.
These area food pantries are putting the following new guidelines in place to help keep everyone safe:
• The Community Care Center in Braidwood, located at 112 S. Center St. next to Braidwood City Hall, is open on Tuesdays from 8 to 11:45 a.m.
For extra precautions, volunteers ask that all clients wait outside or in their cars for food.
• Coal City Food Pantry, located at 6805 E. McArdle Road, is open Mondays from 9 to 11 a.m. and Thursdays from 1 to 3 p.m.
Clients should take a number to post on their car dashboard so it is visible to volunteers. Volunteers are asking clients, especially those who do not feel well, to wait in their cars while they shop for them.
Volunteers have been very diligent in disinfecting shopping carts in between uses.
• Kuzma Care Cottage, 635 S. Main St., is located next to St. Rose School. It’s open Monday through Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m.
Volunteers ask that clients who feel ill, especially with fever or cough, not enter the building. They will gladly bring out clients’ groceries to them on the porch.
• St. Vincent’s Table, New Hope Presbyterian Church, 80 N. Garfield St., Coal City, offers people a free meal each Monday night from 5 to 6 p.m.
Operations are commencing as normal, except there will be carry-out dinners and deliveries only for the next few weeks as the situation unfolds.
• Help for Hope is located at 100 S. Baima Street in Coal City. Its current hours are Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 4 to 6 p.m. The 24-hour emergency help line is 815-518-2000.
The pantry is open as usual, but volunteers ask that those who are sick don’t come in.
Beginning April 3 it will shift to its spring hours. It will be open Tuesday from 9 a.m. to noon, Wednesday from 9 a.m. to noon and 4 to 6 p.m., as well as Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon.
• Healing Hunger Pantry, First Christian Church at 1824 Church St. in Wilmington. The church provides food to those in need through its food pantry. Those who would like to use its resources should call the church at 815-476-6734.
• Top Fuel Saloon in Braidwood typically holds a Secret Food Pantry on the first and third Friday of each month from 3 to 4 p.m. However, most recently, it has been canceled for March 20.
MicroPantries
Food micropantries remain a great way to pick up a few food items at a time. The concept is simple: People leave food in the small pantries and anyone is free to take what they need.
The following is a list of micropantries in the area:
Braceville
• Braceville/Godley Fire House, 101 N. State Route 53
Braidwood
• Fossil Ridge Public Library, 286 W. Kennedy Road
• Ignite Christian Church, Braidwood, 1189 W. 1st St.
Channahon
• Southfield Church, 24557 W. Eames St.
Coal City
• Lardi Chiropractic, 496 E. 1st St.
Custer Park
• Custer Township Hall, 35332 Grant St.
Diamond
• Christian Life Assembly, 2960 Division St.
Kankakee
• St. Mary Hospital, 500 W. Court St.
Mazon
• American Legion, 5087 Depot St.
Morris
• Grundy County Health Department, 1320 Union St.
• Morris Library, 604 Liberty St.
• Premier Academy, 7700 Ashley Road
South Wilmington
• Saint Lawrence Church, 165 E. Rice Road
Verona
• Verona Township Office, 501 Division St.
Wilmington
• Christian Faith Center Church, 1800 S. Water St.
• Phelan Acres Church, 26009 Willow Lane
To add to this list, please e-mail news@fpnusa.com.