More than 150 families benefitted from a stop last week in Joliet of the Northern Illinois Food Bank’s Mobile Food Pantry. The Rotary Club of Joliet hosted this event which offered fresh meat, fruit, baked goods and other dry staples to needy families in the area.

According to Bill Jenkins, chairman of the project, the Rotary Club of Joliet has hosted a food bank stop in Joliet for the past three years. He said this project fits in with the club’s mission of “service above self”.

“Countless families are feeling the effects of these hard economic times and the members of our club are happy to help,” Jenkins said. “The smiles on the faces of the people who received the food was very rewarding for us.”

Fifty club members were on hand to help pass out the food and at the end of two hours, all the food had been distributed.

“The Northern Illinois Food Bank Mobile Food Pantry is a wonderful way to help our fellow citizens put a few extra groceries on the shelf in these tough times,” Jenkins said.  “We sincerely thank Father Enrique Varek-Nungaray of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church for allowing our club to host this event at their facilities.”