In fiscal year 2016, the GCFD distributed more than 70 million pounds of nonperishable food, produce, dairy products, and meat - the equivalent of more than 160,000 meals every day.

Major benefactors included the City of Chicago, which provided a start-up grant, as well as Strube Celery and Vegetable Company, which donated warehouse space.

The Produce People Share Program addressed the need for fresh fruits and vegetables in the community, and the first Kids Cafe began serving after-school hot meals for low-income children.

In that same year, the food bank founded Chicago's Community Kitchens, a free 12-week culinary training program for unemployed and underemployed adults.

In addition to increased storage space, the facility hosts administration and training programs like Pantry University, which began the same year.

[14] In 2001, GCFD launched the Producemobile, a beverage-style truck that delivers donated food directly to individuals across Chicago on a weekly basis.

The sites are in areas with high poverty levels and low food assistance from the GCFD, according to the 2006 Cook County Unmet Need Study.

The Hunger Walk spans 2 miles, and through the revenue from this event, GCFD could fund some of their partner agencies for an entire year.

The GCFD has two pantries specifically used to serve veterans, located at the VA Hospitals in Cook County at Jesse Brown and at Hines.

[19] It began, as a test program, as a way of providing healthy foods to people who are unable to get enough in their diet due to location and/or resources.

[20] Founded in 1998, Chicago's Community Kitchens is a free, 14-week culinary training program for people with barriers to employment like arrest records or lack of work history.

[8] Pantry University is dedicated to building the capacity of member agency partners by providing training and educational workshops on topics such as grant writing, creating budgets, and volunteer management.

Pantry University has offered courses at the GCFD as well as at community colleges, neighborhood centers, and agency sites throughout Cook County.

Client workshops and classes range from food safety and sanitation, nutrition, fundraising, grant writing, creating and maintaining budgets to operational best practices.

[26] In addition, the GCFD has partnered with Cook County to find ways to curb food insecurity by providing fruits and vegetables to more than 760,000 affected residents.