Thousands Flock to Food Drive in Desperate Need of Help Amid Government Shutdown
A massive food drive at Evanston Township High School on Sunday turned into a community event, as hundreds of volunteers poured in donations, supplies, and support for families struggling with hunger. Valerie Kahan, one of the organizers, described the scene as "overwhelmingly amazing" and said that everyone's efforts were aimed at helping those who needed it most.
The drive was held in response to the federal government shutdown, which has left nearly 2 million Illinois residents – and 42 million nationwide – without Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. With uncertainty surrounding when these benefits will be restored, local residents have stepped up to provide support. The event also served as a platform for community building and expanding mutual-aid networks.
"I think it's insanity," said Valerie Cronkhite, who arrived at the drive with her family, including her husband Travis and daughter Cora. "Evanston always shows up when we need them." They had just come from a local grocery store where shelves were quickly emptying as people cleared them to make donations.
Community members like Mariah Fouche, a Niles resident who grew up in Rogers Park, also showed up to support the event. She passed out know-your-rights cards and whistles along with food and toiletries, stating that it was "joy" to be involved. Fouche suggested involving friends and family members in mutual-aid events going forward as a social way to get people involved.
"It's not strenuous to me," she said. "This is joy." Fouche noted that the community came together to provide support and keep each other safe during difficult times, saying, "There are no reasons anyone should be bored right now... We need to stand up and do what we can for each other because no one is coming to save us."
The event demonstrates a sense of resilience and solidarity among local residents in the face of uncertainty surrounding food assistance. As Kahan said, "Coming together is the solution always."
A massive food drive at Evanston Township High School on Sunday turned into a community event, as hundreds of volunteers poured in donations, supplies, and support for families struggling with hunger. Valerie Kahan, one of the organizers, described the scene as "overwhelmingly amazing" and said that everyone's efforts were aimed at helping those who needed it most.
The drive was held in response to the federal government shutdown, which has left nearly 2 million Illinois residents – and 42 million nationwide – without Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. With uncertainty surrounding when these benefits will be restored, local residents have stepped up to provide support. The event also served as a platform for community building and expanding mutual-aid networks.
"I think it's insanity," said Valerie Cronkhite, who arrived at the drive with her family, including her husband Travis and daughter Cora. "Evanston always shows up when we need them." They had just come from a local grocery store where shelves were quickly emptying as people cleared them to make donations.
Community members like Mariah Fouche, a Niles resident who grew up in Rogers Park, also showed up to support the event. She passed out know-your-rights cards and whistles along with food and toiletries, stating that it was "joy" to be involved. Fouche suggested involving friends and family members in mutual-aid events going forward as a social way to get people involved.
"It's not strenuous to me," she said. "This is joy." Fouche noted that the community came together to provide support and keep each other safe during difficult times, saying, "There are no reasons anyone should be bored right now... We need to stand up and do what we can for each other because no one is coming to save us."
The event demonstrates a sense of resilience and solidarity among local residents in the face of uncertainty surrounding food assistance. As Kahan said, "Coming together is the solution always."
people are doing amazing stuff like this all over the country. its so inspiring to see how one community can come together in a time of need. everyone's giving their time and resources to help others who are struggling. it just goes to show that we dont have to rely on big systems to get things done, sometimes its the small acts of kindness from neighbours and friends that make the biggest difference 
it's great that people are stepping up to help out, I mean, who doesn't love a good community event 
? But seriously, 2 million Illinois residents without food benefits? That's a huge number. And what's even crazier is that some ppl are making it "joy" to volunteer (lol). Like, yeah, we get it, being kind is awesome 
.
just witnessed this amazing community event at Evanston Township High School and I'm totally inspired! 
thousands of people came together to help those struggling with hunger, it's truly a testament to human kindness 
. I mean, when the government shutdown hits, you'd think we're all just sitting around twiddling our thumbs, but NOPE! 
our communities are stepping up and taking care of each other 
. It's not about politics, it's about people power 
. I love how Mariah Fouche is spreading the word about mutual-aid networks 
, we need more of that in these uncertain times 
. Let's keep supporting each other and making a difference in our own little ways 
#CommunityFirst #MutualAidMatters #BeTheChange
and it was literally so cool to see everyone come together for a good cause! like we have a huge student union that's always organizing events but it's not just about us, you know? this shows that even when there's uncertainty outside of our little bubble, we can still make a difference.
. And I love how the event also brought people together, fostering a sense of community building and mutual-aid networks – we're all in this together! 
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. Still, I guess it's better than nothing, right? The volunteers will just keep on smiling and donating, and we'll all just pretend like everything is okay 
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. The fact that thousands showed up to support a food drive in such a short amount of time is just incredible... it's not about the government doing it, it's about community coming together as one big happy family 
the gov shutdown is really taking its toll on ppl struggling with hunger... its great 2 see a community come thru like this, all comin together 2 help out 
some ppl r gettin creative w/ fundraisers & stuff, but its still hard 2 swallow that 42 mil ppl dont have access 2 food assistance... maybe its time 4 us 2 rethink our system & figure out a better way 2 support each other 
. i mean we gotta have a system in place for people who can't afford food already, but if that's not working... then ppl coming together to help each other out is def the way to go 
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. The event was more than just a food drive – it was an opportunity for community building and mutual-aid networks 
? Like, there's no talk of actual change or revolution? Just "let's all hold hands and wait for the government to fix everything" 
. This is exactly what we need in times of uncertainty – a sense of community, solidarity, and collective action 
... people are literally showing up at schools to feed their own families because of the gov shutdown 
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IT'S AMAZING TO SEE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER LIKE THIS WHEN WE NEED IT MOST, ESPECIALLY WITH THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN STILL ONGOING. 2 MILLION ILLINOIS RESIDENTS ARE STRUGGLING WITHOUT SNAP BENEFITS AND IT'S CRAZY TO THINK THAT SOMEONE, ANYONE, CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THESE VOLUNTEERS ARE SHOWING US WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A COMMUNITY AND I COULDN'T BE MORE INSPIRED!!!