About Us
More Than Just a Food Pantry
One of Chicago’s largest and longest-operating food pantries, Nourishing Hope’s mission is to eliminate hunger and poverty in our community by providing food to fill the basic need of hungry people; empowering our clients to gain independence through innovative social service programs; and raising awareness of hunger and poverty and working towards solutions to eliminate them.
Our vision is to be a reliable and innovative hunger-relief resource in the communities we serve, and to be a model of dignified, effective, and collaborative service delivery. We will realize this vision by remaining proactive and adaptable to changing circumstances, while constantly striving to improve.
Our ultimate goal is a hunger-free Chicago.
Read our 2020-2021 annual report
During the past two years, we responded to an unprecedented need for food assistance and social services. You can find details on our historic pandemic response and much more in our 2020-2021 annual report.
Our Impact
For more than 50 years, Nourishing Hope, formerly Lakeview Pantry, has served as an invaluable resource in Chicago, ensuring our low-income neighbors have enough to eat and have access to critical, and sometimes lifesaving, social services. Together, we have directly improved the lives of thousands of our community members.
Last year, we provided the equivalent of 4 million meals to people in communities throughout the city. That includes more than 21,000 families who turned to us for help for the first time. Our approach focuses on meeting the immediate hunger needs of our clients, then moving onto longer-term solutions that empower clients to become independent.
In Our Area
Did you know that 1 in 8 people in Cook County are struggling with poverty and food insecurity?
30% of Nourishing Hope clients are underemployed, 46% are disabled and/or retired.
45% of Nourishing Hope clients have at least one child under the age of 18.
3% of Nourishing Hope clients are homeless.
How We Work
We offer our neighbors nutritious food using a choice-based distribution model and access to life-changing social services including:
- Monthly food distribution and weekly produce pickup through five different food access programs.
- Home delivery services for older adults, homebound neighbors and neighbors living with disabilities.
- Social services including case management, mental health counseling, job search support, domestic violence intervention, referrals and public benefits assistance (SNAP, healthcare, government forms) for anyone in need.
With a dedicated team of Staff, Board and Young Leaders, the Nourishing Hope community is committed to our mission of ending hunger and poverty.
View Our Financial Documents
Nourishing Hope is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. You can view the 990 forms we’ve filed with the IRS below.
- 2021 Form 990
- 2020 Form 990
- 2019 Form 990
- 2018 Form 990
- 2017 Form 990
- 2016 Form 990
- 2015 Form 990
- 2014 Form 990
- 2013 Form 990
Our 2020-2021 Annual Report can be found here and our 2021 Audit is available here.
Nourishing Hope Exists Because of the Support of Our Neighbors.
With multiple food distribution programs that deliver the equivalent of 4 million meals each year, plus thousands of social service visits that empower healthy lives, Nourishing Hope strives to build a brighter future for all Chicagoans. Join us today!
