Food insecurity is top of mind as holidays approach and donations are in need more than ever

As the holidays approach, food insecurity is top of mind as over 38 million people in the United States lived in food-insecure households in 2021. Food insecurity occurs when households do not have the means or resources to obtain enough food to meet the needs of all household members.

To assist the Northfield community in overcoming the challenges of food insecurity, Medline, a locally based medical manufacturer and distributor, contributed over 500 pounds of food to the Northfield Township Food Pantry (NTFP) this year. In addition to Medline volunteers growing all of the 527 pounds of donated food on-site at the company’s Northfield headquarters,  the company also made a $5,000 donation.

Established nearly 50 years ago, the NTFP was started to assist Township residents who are unable to provide enough food for themselves and their families. According to the USDA, 21% of U.S. households and 14.8% of U.S. households with children face food insecurity.

“In a country where 38.3 million people are living in food-insecure households, every donation has an impact,” says Gayle Curcio, community coordinator at Northfield Township Food Pantry. “With the holidays upon us, the fresh options the Medline team has provided will go a long way to ensuring our patrons have healthy options and can hopefully enjoy greater food security.”

The NTFP is supported 100% by residents, civic organizations, schools, businesses, and the faith community through donations of food items, grocery store cards, and cash. In 2003, the NTFP became an agency of the Greater Chicago Food Depository and a 501c3 organization.

Volunteers from Medline participated in seven harvest events this season to provide a wide variety of organic vegetables to the NTFP. The vegetables grown included several varieties of chard, tomatoes, peppers, and other healthy vegetables.

“We want to have an impact through our efforts while ensuring we can provide those in need with access to high quality, healthy foods that are not typically available to those facing food insecurity,” said Scott Smith, director of business development at Medline and a Medline Service Corps volunteer. “Every event we hold during the season enables our colleagues to help support this effort, and our ability to utilize space on our campus provides a great opportunity to get creative and supply healthy, nutritious foods.”

The Medline Service Corps has more than 750 participating volunteers from the company’s ranks of employees. Each volunteer brings their unique skills and perspective, which enables the company to meet a variety of  needs in communities big and small.

“Medline has a strong commitment to giving back to the communities in which our employees live and work,” says Karen Frey, senior philanthropy manager at Medline. “Our Medline Service Corps help our employees find volunteer opportunities. Over 50 Medline volunteers contributed to the effort to grow, harvest and deliver this season’s donation to the Northfield Township Food Pantry and we’re very proud of this effort.”

Learn more about how Medline is helping to address health disparities in our communities.