JOLIET, Ill. — Community members can help support neighbors facing food insecurity and enjoy some time at the ballpark this summer thanks to a food drive hosted by University of Illinois Extension in partnership with the Will County Health Department and the Joliet Slammers.
Donations for the food drive will be accepted through Sept. 3 at Slammers Stadium, and each person who donates will receive a buy-one, get-one-free ticket offer for any remaining 2026 Joliet Slammers home games.
“Food is a basic need, and access to nutritious food can have an impact on nearly every part of a person’s health and well-being,” said Morgan Roberts, Illinois Extension health and community wellness educator serving Grundy, Kankakee, and Will counties. “This partnership, now in its second year, is a great opportunity to help make sure more of our neighbors have access to the food they need.”
Nonperishable food donations can be dropped off at Slammers Stadium, 1 Mayor Art Schultz Drive, Joliet. Donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m through September 3.
Donated food will be distributed to micro food pantries around Will County. Similar to Little Free Libraries, micro pantries are community-based resources where people can anonymously pick up food when they need it or leave food for others
So far, 355 donated items have helped stock 11 micro pantries across the county, with priority given to locations that are not affiliated with a traditional food pantry and to those frequently found to be low on supplies.
“Micro food pantries are anonymous and available 24 hours a day. That accessibility provides another way to connect people with food while helping reduce the stigma that can still surround seeking food assistance. They are also vital for working families who may not be able to access a traditional food pantry during business hours. We are grateful to the Will County Health Department for helping connect residents with these resources throughout the county,” said Roberts.
The Will County Health Department maintains a list of micro food pantries and other food assistance resources. This can be found online at willcountyillinois.com/findfood.
“We hope people will participate and help us stock these pantries for our neighbors who need them,” said Roberts. “It’s a great opportunity to come together as a community, help our neighbors, and, thanks to the Joliet Slammers, enjoy some baseball for less. It’s a fun way to wrap up the summer.”
More information on Illinois Extension can be found online at extension.illinois.edu/gkw.
SOURCE: Morgan Roberts, health and community wellness educator.
WRITER: Anthony Warmack, communications and marketing program coordinator.
MEDIA ACCESS: Image is available to download for media use. For interviews, contact Anthony Warmack at warmacka@illinois.edu or 217-244-5813.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 500 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.