As food insecurity continues to rise across DuPage, Kane, Kendall, and Will counties, Loaves & Fishes Community Services is expanding its capacity to meet the growing need—and looking toward the future of how it serves local families.
Loaves & Fishes President & CEO Mike Havala and Executive Vice President of Advancement Megan Lynch discuss the organization’s response to unprecedented demand and the vision behind its $15 million Nourish Together campaign.
Food insecurity has increased more than 50% across the organization’s four-county service area since 2019.
Today, Loaves & Fishes serves approximately 10,000 people each week—three times the number served at the beginning of 2022. As Illinois’ largest food pantry, the organization is investing in the infrastructure, programs, and partnerships needed to reach even more families.
A key component of this work is Hub 2.0, an expansion of the organization’s Food Distribution Hub in Aurora. The Hub serves as the engine behind Loaves & Fishes’ food access efforts, moving food efficiently to the Naperville Market and more than 13 spoke locations throughout the region. The expansion will nearly double the Hub’s size, add critical cold and dry storage, and create the capacity to serve two to three times more people. Construction is underway, with completion anticipated in spring 2027.
The Loaves & Fishes CARES programs give wraparound support
The CARES programs provide support in four areas: physical health, financial health, employment health, and mental health. Loaves & Fishes recently purchased the building adjacent to its Naperville Market to create additional space for these services. The expansion comes as the organization celebrates 10 years since merging with Naperville CARES.
Together, Hub 2.0, the CARES expansion, and growing community partnerships are central to the Nourish Together campaign’s vision, focused not only on providing healthy food, but on helping families navigate the challenges that can stand between them and greater stability.
Learn more about Nourish Together and consider making an investment in the future of Loaves & Fishes. Every person who gets involved helps reach more families and builds a stronger, healthier community. When a community comes together, they can do more than meet the need. They can change what’s possible for our neighbors.
Spotlight Guests: Mike Havala, President & CEO, and Megan Lynch, Executive Vice President, Advancement
