New Lenox Township Food Pantry Reports Heavy December Demand, Secures New Community Partnerships

New Lenox Township Board of Trustees Meeting | January 8, 2026

Article Summary:
New Lenox Township’s community services saw heavy utilization through the end of 2025, with the Food Pantry serving over 1,100 individuals in December alone. The Township also provided nearly 450 senior and disabled transportation rides, leveraging community donations and local business partnerships to meet the surging demand.

Township Programs & Services Key Points:

• Pantry Utilization: The Food Pantry served 387 families (1,107 individuals) in December, averaging 278 individuals per week.

• Youth Impact: Approximately 25% of all residents utilizing the Food Pantry (276 individuals) were children between the ages of 0 and 15.

• Business Partnerships: Cooper’s Hawk is launching a “Wine Wednesday” promotion in February and March, donating 50% of table wine bottle sales to the Food Pantry.

• Transportation Services: The Township executed 447 transportation rides in December, bringing in $2,743 in income against a minimal gas expense of $297.92.

During its regular meeting on Thursday, January 8, 2026, the New Lenox Township Board of Trustees reviewed end-of-year service data that highlighted the critical role local safety nets played for hundreds of families during the holiday season.

Trustee Steve Friant delivered the Programs and Services report on behalf of Director Jim Pitcairn, revealing heavy utilization of the Township Food Pantry throughout December.

According to the data, the pantry served 387 families last month, translating to an average of 97 families per week. In total, 1,107 individuals relied on the pantry in December, averaging 278 people a week. Friant highlighted a sobering demographic statistic: 276 of the individuals served—representing 25% of the total demographic—were children between the ages of 0 and 15.

Despite the elevated demand, Pitcairn’s report indicated that the Food Pantry was able to successfully maintain stock on its shelves, buoyed by numerous community donations. The Family Services Foundation also received generous monetary donations and has requested ideas to enhance Township programs or give back to the community.

Local business and community support have bolstered the pantry’s operational capacity heading into the new year. Friant reported that Fitzgerald Equipment recently donated an electric pallet jack, which has already been received and put into use by pantry staff. Additionally, Cooper’s Hawk is initiating a community-based promotion to support the facility. During Wednesdays in February and March, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., the restaurant will donate 50% of its table wine bottle sales directly to the Food Pantry.

Friant also noted that the Food Pantry has officially begun its re-registration process for 2026, and he is personally visiting all local high schools in the Township to distribute information regarding the Township Officials of Illinois (TOI) scholarship program.

Alongside food insecurity, the Township successfully managed a high volume of local transit needs. Trustee Patty Deiters reported that the Township provided 447 Transportation Rides in December. The service generated $2,743 in income for the month, while gas expenses were kept remarkably low at $297.92.

To maintain the fleet’s viability, Deiters announced she is actively researching potential grant opportunities to fund the purchase of a new vehicle for the transportation department.

Deiters also utilized her report to extend special recognition to local groups that assisted with “Operation Santa for Seniors” in December, formally thanking Debbie Cunningham, the Lincoln-Way West Cheerleaders, the Lincolnway High Schools hockey team, and Bill Byerley from the Emergency Services and Disaster Agency (ESDA) for their volunteer participation.