A ministry of Sacred Heart Parish
The Sacred Heart Food Pantry is Located at Rock Island Township Hall, 2827 7th Avenue, Rock Island, IL 61201. The Pantry is managed and operated by volunteers Monday through Friday from 9 to 11 a.m.
You may have some questions about the things you see and hear about the Sacred Heart Food Pantry, which began in the 1940’s.
Hungry people would come to the Sacred Heart Rectory asking for food. They were sent to the Maid Rite on 5th Avenue and given sandwiches. At the end of the month, the church then paid the bill. In 1961, under the leadership of Fr. Raymond Lassuy, a pantry opened in the basement of the church. Eventually the need for food grew so much that the church needed to find more resources to help subsidize what they were providing.
In 1981, leadership traveled to Peoria to learn about the River Bend Food Bank. With the help of the Food Bank, the Food Pantry in the basement of Sacred Heart Parish continued to grow and help residents throughout the community. In 2008 the Food Pantry had to relocate. The church basement was no longer suited to the daily traffic and the steps going to the basement had begun to pose a safety hazard for those seeking food. Rock Island Township, located just a few blocks from the church, turned a vacant classroom into a mini store and the Sacred Heart Food Pantry had a new home!
How does it work?
The Food Pantry is open daily from 9:00 a.m.—11:00 a.m. Food is provided based on the number of people in the household. Those requesting food must be able to show proof of address.; a current piece of mail or driver’s license with current address is sufficient. Residents can come to the Pantry once a month. Scott County residents are allowed to come to the Pantry one time. They are given a list of food pantries in Iowa and a list of helpful agencies to get them through the month. All those who come to the Food Pantry are also told about the St. Joseph Evening Meal. The meals are served at 5:30 p.m. in the Town Hall in Rock Island Township.
How do we do it?
The Food Pantry is a completely volunteer effort. From picking up and delivery of the food to distribution to the hungry.
Who pays for the Food Pantry and how can I help?
The simplest way to answer is “The Community”; but it is so much more than that! Collections from Sacred Heart Church, a grant from Rock Island Township, and private contributions from all over the community work together to financially support the Food Pantry.
You can contribute financially by writing a check to Sacred Heart Church, 2810 5th Avenue, Rock Island, IL. Make the check out to the Sacred Heart Food Pantry.
There are many ways to get involved including volunteering on site, and picking up food from the Riverbend Food Bank. If you are interested in becoming involved with the Sacred Heart Food Pantry, please contact Mike Clark at 786-6940.
Members of Sacred Heart Parish and the St. Vincent dePaul Society also put together Christmas baskets with food and gifts for those in need during the holiday season. If you’d like to help with these efforts, please contact Chris Mandle here.
