Chicago Innovators: Northern Illinois Food Bank reduces barriers with online pantry

Most food pantries are strictly in-person experiences, but a local group aims to feed more people by tapping technology.

By Stephanie Kim
Chicago Innovators: Northern Illinois Food Bank reduces barriers with online pantry
Volunteer Eric Leuck packs a box with milk with other food at the Northern Illinois Food Bank to be delivered by DoorDash drivers for area residents who are homebound Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, in Park City, Ill. Previously, the pantry's express program was not available to its homebound clients because someone had to physically go to a collection point to pick up the food. But with DoorDash's technology, now homebound clients can go to the My Pantry Express website and pick from the available food. Charles Rex Arbogast / AP Photo
Chicago Innovators: Northern Illinois Food Bank reduces barriers with online pantry
Volunteer Eric Leuck packs a box with milk with other food at the Northern Illinois Food Bank to be delivered by DoorDash drivers for area residents who are homebound Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, in Park City, Ill. Previously, the pantry's express program was not available to its homebound clients because someone had to physically go to a collection point to pick up the food. But with DoorDash's technology, now homebound clients can go to the My Pantry Express website and pick from the available food. Charles Rex Arbogast / AP Photo

Chicago Innovators: Northern Illinois Food Bank reduces barriers with online pantry

Most food pantries are strictly in-person experiences, but a local group aims to feed more people by tapping technology.

By Stephanie Kim
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One out of 10 households in America didn’t have enough food to eat at some point in 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Among those households, only about a third reported using a food pantry.

For our weekly series “Chicago Innovators,” Reset checks in with a local organization that is breaking down barriers around food access with its online pantry.

GUEST: Julie Yurko, CEO and president of Northern Illinois Food Bank