On Friday morning, Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry driver Brian Romero loaded three pallets of donated food from West Aurora schools and headed to the pantry, marking a major milestone in the 19th annual Aurora Holiday Food Drive. The drive, which began Nov. 1 and runs through the day before Thanksgiving (Nov. 25), aims to stock the pantry for the holiday season and the coming year, a goal that matters to the city’s 12,000‑student West Aurora School District and the families they serve.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the food was collected by teachers and staff from Jewel Middle School, Greenman Elementary School and West Aurora High School through coordinated efforts of the Aurora Education Association – West, the West Aurora Office Professionals Association, the West Aurora Paraprofessional Association and the A+ Foundation. The organizations assigned each school a specific food category to assemble into complete Thanksgiving meals. After the pickup, volunteers will meet at the pantry to sort the donations into meal boxes that will be delivered with a turkey for Thanksgiving.
The pantry’s recent service statistics underscore the drive’s importance. From August 2025 through July 2026, the pantry served 23,041 individuals representing 6,957 households, including 2,489 first‑time households (about 36%). It distributed more than 3 million pounds of food, with roughly 86% of clients residing in Kane and Kendall counties. The current collection exceeds the drive’s target of more than 200 kits, as evidenced by the five pallets loaded onto Romero’s truck.
Community leaders praised the effort. Retired teacher Laura Beatus, now with the A+ Foundation, said, “Ask and they show up.” Executive director Ingrid Roney added that the food benefits the district’s 12,000 students and their families, highlighting the district’s understanding of community needs. Sponsors—including La Chiquita Food Mart, Prisco’s Family Market, Cermak Fresh Food Market, Aurora FastPrint, Old National Bancorp, and others—provided essential support for the drive.
What’s next? Volunteers will convene at the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry in the coming days to sort the donations into Thanksgiving meal kits. The drive continues to accept contributions through Nov. 25, with shoppers encouraged to leave packaged bags of food at Prisco’s, Cermak Fresh, or Food Market La Chiquita, or to donate virtually via AuroraFoodPantry.org/holidayfooddrive.
Sources: chicagotribune.com
