Lead Agencies

Lead Agencies

The following lead agencies have been funded for IL-EATS. If you would like to collaborate with any of the organizations listed, you are encouraged to contact them directly. If you’d like support in making connections, contact us at uie-lfpa@illinois.edu

Northwest Illinois

Farmers Rising (formerly Angelic Organics Learning Center)

Farmers Rising builds sustainable local food and farm systems through experiential education and training programs in partnership with rural and urban people. Open to partnerships up to 1 ½ hours from Rockford, Illinois. 

1545 Rockton Rd, Caledonia, IL 61011 
Phone: 360-649-0650 | Email: allyson.r@farmersrising.org

Jo Daviess Local Foods

We operate an online farmers' market and a Farm to Food Pantry Program in Jo Daviess County, with additional pickup locations in Stephenson and Carroll Counties. 

Elizabeth, IL 61028 
Phone: 815-990-5374 | Email: erin@jdlf.org 

Northern Illinois Food Bank

Northern Illinois Food Bank is a food bank that serves 13 counties in Northern Illinois. Open to partnerships up to 2 hours from location. 

273 Dearborn Ct, Geneva, IL 60134 

Northeast Illinois

Rooted for Good (formerly DeKalb County Community Gardens) 

Rooted for Good is dedicated to ending hunger, empowering individuals, and growing community. Rooted for Good has reached its maximum capacity of partners at this time. 

Northern Illinois Food Bank 

Northern Illinois Food Bank is a food bank that serves 13 counties in Northern Illinois. Open to partnerships up to 2 hours from location. 

273 Dearborn Ct, Geneva, IL 60134
Phone: 630-443-6910 | Email: mloeffl@northernfoodbank.org

Run-A-Way Buckers and Think Regeneration NFP

Run-A-Way Buckers organization provides fresh, pesticide-free produce and hormone-free, pasture-raised chickens. We provide fresh produce to our local veterans, seniors and disabled, schools, and food pantries; educate the youth in the community on basic agricultural and animal husbandry practices; and we provide an intern and mentoring program. Run-A-Way Buckers and Think Regeneration have reached their maximum capacity of partners at this time. 

Think Regeneration 

Think Regeneration is a 501c(3) that supports farmers and ranchers to create a more equitable, regenerative food supply.

Cook County

The mission of Black Oaks Center is to facilitate local food system development from Pembroke to Chicago. Open to partnerships up to 2 ½ hours from location. 

6735 S South Chicago Ave 
Phone: 773-410-3446 | Email: blackoakscenter@gmail.com 

Greater Chicago Food Depository 

The Greater Chicago Food Depository started to nourish our neighbors at risk of hunger, and as the needs of our neighbors have evolved, so have we. To achieve our mission of ending hunger, we work with a network of community-based organizations and individuals to connect our neighbors with healthy food, lift our voices, and advance solutions that address the root causes of hunger – poverty, systemic inequity, and structural racism. The Greater Chicago Food Depository has reached its maximum capacity of partners at this time.  

Top Box Foods and In His Hands Resource Center Inc. 

Top Box Foods is a nonprofit social business dedicated to creating access to healthy, nourishing, and affordable food. We collaborate on food access initiatives with a diverse network of partners and operate an online value-added grocery market with free home delivery in Cook County and SNAP subsidy programs to remove barriers to food access and contribute to a more equitable and sustainable food system.  

222 W Merchandise Mart Plz Ste 11-131 Chicago, IL 60654 | 5959 S Lowe Ave Chicago, IL 60621  
Phone: 312-527-7890 | Email: lorelei.oconnor@topboxfoods.com  

The mission of In His Hands Resource Center is to facilitate and sustain human and economic viability in underserved communities and act as a common navigator for small businesses. Open to partnerships up to 2 ½ hours from location. Connect with In His Hands Resource Center if you’re a community partner.    

1200 Ring Rd. Suite 2374, Calumet City, IL 60409   
Phone: 312-768-3871 | Email: ihh.nfp@gmail.com

West Central Illinois

Central Illinois Foodbank is part of the Feeding America network of food banks. The Central Illinois Foodbank has reached its maximum capacity of partners at this time.  

Midwest Food Bank

As a faith-based organization, Midwest Food Bank’s mission is to share the love of Christ by alleviating hunger and malnutrition locally and throughout the world and providing disaster relief, all without discrimination. Open to partnerships up to 2 ½ hours from location. 

9005 N. Industrial Rd. Peoria, IL 61615 
Phone: 309-691-5270 | Email: mhatfield@midwestfoodbank.org 

Think Regeneration NFP

Think Regeneration is a 501c(3) supporting farmers and ranchers to create a more equitable, regenerative food supply. Think Regeneration has reached its maximum capacity of partners at this time.  

St. Louis Area Food Bank

St. Louis Area Food Bank serves 26 counties, including 12 in Southwest Illinois. Our vision is a nutritionally secure Missouri AND Illinois, and we are actively looking to partner with local farmers and growers across Southwest Illinois to support the residents of Illinois with locally grown, healthy foods. St. Louis Area Food Bank has reached its maximum capacity of partners at this time. 

East Central Illinois

EIF serves food to those in need in 18 counties in Eastern Illinois. Eastern Illinois Foodbank has reached its maximum capacity of partners at this time. 

Midwest Food Bank - Bloomington Normal

As a faith-based organization, Midwest Food Bank’s mission is to share the love of Christ by alleviating hunger and malnutrition locally and throughout the world and providing disaster relief, all without discrimination. Open to partnerships up to 2 ½ hours from location.  

Warehouse Road, Normal, IL 61761  
Phone: 309-663-5350 x 110 | Email:  jhanson@midwestfoodbank.org  

Northeast Community Fund

Northeast Community Fund is a social service organization serving Decatur and Macon Counties that provides financial support and resources to move people out of poverty.   Northeast Community Fund has reached its maximum capacity of partners at this time. 

Metro East St. Louis

With a strategic focus on ending childhood hunger, Operation Food Search (OFS) empowers families and increases access to healthy and affordable food in 40 Missouri and Illinois counties. It approaches food insecurity from an “upstream” perspective by addressing immediate needs through 168 community food distribution partners, shopping/cooking/nutrition education, and food as medicine/advocacy work to foster systemic, sustainable solutions. Operation Food Search has reached its maximum capacity of partners at this time.   

St. Louis Area Food Bank 

St. Louis Area Food Bank serves 26 counties, including 12 in Southwest Illinois. Our vision is a nutritionally secure Missouri AND Illinois, and we are actively looking to partner with local farmers and growers across Southwest Illinois to support the residents of Illinois with locally grown, healthy foods. St. Louis Area Food Bank has reached its maximum capacity of partners at this time.  

Southern Illinois

St. Louis Area Food Bank serves 26 counties, including 12 in Southwest Illinois. Our vision is a nutritionally secure Missouri AND Illinois, and we are actively looking to partner with local farmers and growers across Southwest Illinois to support the residents of Illinois with locally grown, healthy foods. St. Louis Area Food Bank has reached its maximum capacity of partners at this time.  

Tri-State Food Bank, Inc.

A member of the Feeding America network of food banks, Tri-State Food Bank collects and disburses food to partner agencies and feeding programs assisting food-insecure families. Tri-State Food Bank has reached its maximum capacity of partners at this time.