Northern Illinois Food Bank sponsors the program and gets reimbursed for serving meals to children at approved sites.
Children are identified by school staff who recognize signs of chronic hunger or are aware of families dealing with food insecurity.
Thanks to the support of sponsors and volunteers, the Food Bank provides an average of 50,000 Holiday Meal Boxes across 13 counties in rural and suburban Northern Illinois.
During the summer, Northern Illinois Food Bank operates a mobile program called Meals on the Move.
Northern Illinois Food Bank sponsors the program and provides breakfast, lunch and snacks at over 130 locations to children 18 and under.
[11] Northern Illinois Food Bank holds four signature fundraisers annually: A Cup of Hope, a luncheon and auction hosted by the Executive Women's Council held in March; the Fight Hunger 5K and Fun Run with post race festival in May; A Taste That Matters, featuring a silent auction and culinary creation from local chefs in June; and the Hunger Scramble golf outing in August.
The overall score indicates how efficiently a charity will use their support, how well it has sustained its programs and services over time, and their level of commitment to accountability and transparency.
"[14] In 2024, Northern Illinois Food Bank received the Feeding America Network Celebrations Award for its online ordering program, OrderAhead.