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815 Hunger Luncheon Rallies Community Support for Food Pantries

There are plenty of statistics that show hunger in our community is undeniably real. However, getting bogged down in statistics can divert our attention from where it should be: the real people who struggle to put good, nutritious food on their families’ tables. 
 
They are not nameless, faceless individuals. They are friends, neighbors, people we regularly walk past on the streets of Rockford. Life has not been kind to them and they need assistance. 
 
The Mayor’s Hunger Luncheon (now 815 Hunger Luncheon), originally started in the 1980s and then revived in 2017 after a brief interruption, has been just one of the initiatives to help those who can’t afford the groceries necessary to ensure a healthy diet. 
 
The 2025 Hunger Luncheon exceeded its goal by raising a record $82,305 for the nine pantries in the Greater Rockford Pantry Coalition, but that doesn’t come close to exceeding the need in our community. 
 
But there are high hopes for 2026 as there is a new partner in the fight against hunger. 
 
Winnebago County Board Chairman Joe Chiarelli is joining in the effort to help our friends and neighbors feed their families. The 815 Hunger Luncheon in 2026, has a goal of increasing awareness and raising more money for the pantries that serve thousands of Winnebago County residents every year. 
 
This year's event will be at noon, Sept. 30th at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 3300 Rural Street, Rockford. The luncheon is the climax of a weekslong funding campaign for the nine pantries in the Greater Rockford Pantry Coalition. The Community Foundation of Northern Illinois again is offering valuable assistance to the Hunger Luncheon committee.

How to Support Post-Luncheon Event: 3 Ways!

  1. Donate by check:
    Make checks payable to:
    CFNIL (815 Hunger Luncheon in the Memo Line)
    C/O 815 Hunger Luncheon, 946 North Second St., Rockford, IL 61107
    946 North Second Street
  2. Donate to the New 2026 Campaign!
  3. Donate to an individual pantry: Complete list located on GRPC website: Greater Rockford Pantry Coalition


Donate Now » 
 

Who Benefits?
Proceeds from this fundraiser benefit are equally distributed among nine local pantries that make up the The Greater Rockford Pantry Coalition (GRPC), serving approximately 25,000 people/visitors per month or 300,000 per year.

About the GRPC: The GRPC was formed in 1994 to feed the hungry, raise awareness about issues surrounding food insecurity, and to pool resources. Together they provide food, compassion, and respect to those in need.

Nine Pantries Include: Rock River Valley Pantry; Christian Unity Pantry; Unity in the Community/Lighthouse Pantry; St. Elizabeth Pantry; Cornucopia Pantry; Salvation Army Pantry; Emmanuel Lutheran Pantry; God’s Glory Pantry; and Soul’s Harbor Pantry.

Donate by check:
Make checks payable to:
CFNIL (815 Hunger Luncheon in the Memo Line)
C/O 815 Hunger Luncheon
946 North Second Street
Rockford, IL  61107
 

The 815 Hunger Luncheon Committee partners with the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois (CFNIL) to collect and process donations. CFNIL is a registered 501 (c) (3); your donation supporting the 815 Hunger Luncheon is fully tax-deductible.