April Food Day Deemed a Success

Tinley Park, Ill. – Last week’s April Food drive was a big success and collected over 109,000 pounds of food which will be distributed to seven regional food pantries. This will help over 5,000 families in need of assistance in the Chicago Southland.

Johanns Williams, CHA Director of Franchise Services LaQuinta Inns & Suites / Co-Chair Resource Development for the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, South–Southwest Suburban Regional Office – spearheaded this effort and has kept it going for five years stated that “Food is love and sharing food is the most sincere way to show people that you care about them.” The caring was felt by all, from volunteers, organizers, donators and the seven local pantries that received the contributions. Pantries that benefitted were: Respond Now — Chicago Heights, Ford Heights Community Service Organization, Richton Park Food Pantry, Catholic Charities — South Holland, Restoration Ministries — South Holland, Thornton Township — Harvey and Together We Cope — Tinley Park.

This was a regional collaboration by the United Way, Chicago Southland Convention and Visitors Bureau and the area hospitality communities. Calene Echevarria, General Manager of the Comfort Suites and Sleep Inn in Lansing created an April Food Day staff competition to see who could bring in the most food.  PepsiCo of Quaker Oats & Central Grocers both donated two semi trucks full of food. Jim Garrett, President/CEO of the CSCVB said, “This couldn’t have come together without the leadership of Johann Williams and the many volunteers that helped make this happen. This was a wonderful example of regional cooperation all coming together for a great humanitarian cause. Special thanks also to Daniel Fitzgerald and the staff at the Tinley Park Convention Center for their valued support in coordinating the distribution.”

The Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau is the official destination management and marketing organization for Chicago’s 62 south and southwest suburbs. The Chicago Southland CVB markets the Chicago Southland region as a destination for leisure, meetings and conventions, group tour and sports events. For more information, go to VisitChicagoSouthland.com

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Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau

Loren Petrakis-Mueller - Communications Manager | 2304 173^rd Street   Lansing, IL 60438

Phone: 708-895-8200 Fax: 708-895-8288 Toll-free: 888-895-8233
Loren@VisitChicagoSouthland.com     VisitChicagoSouthland.com