Mutual Aid: Help Our Neighbors in Need with Food and Other Resources
- Jane Jerrard
- Nov 16, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 18
From the City of Evanston's SNAP Benefits Resources Page
Updated 4/18/26
How You Can Help Your Neighbors
- Donate: Cash or non-perishable food items to local food banks.
- Volunteer: Many local pantries welcome volunteers to help distribute food.
- Share resources: Spread awareness of these resources and support.
Food and Essentials
Drop off food donations: Prairie Moon, 1635 Chicago Ave., is the newest place to donate food in Evanston for Connections for the Homeless. Evanston Community Fridges are also great places to drop off food donations for the community!
Donate to the Evanston Community Cares Mutual Aid Action Fund
The community still needs care and support after the devastating "Midway Blitz" campaign that targeted (and is still targeting) the Latino community and others. Their goal is to raise $2 million to be shared by 5 organizations: Evanston Latinos, Evanston Community Fridges, Sanctuary Evanston, plus D65 and D202 (for school counselors to provide gift card support to families for emergency food and essentials). Donate here through the Evanston Community Foundation.
You'll get a biweekly newsletter outlining how you can help your neighbors.
Evanston Food Pantries & Meal Programs
Evanston Corps Community Center/Salvation Army: 847-866-9770
Hillside Free Methodist Church: 847-328-7182
Evanston Vineyard Food Pantry: 847-328-4544
Howard Area Community Center: 773-262-6622
Humans At Help Foundation: 773-852-7866
Ignation Mission Center: 773-739-9255
Niles Township Food Pantry: 847-983-0073
Connections for the Homeless: 847-475-7070
Hemenway United Methodist Church Pantry: 847-869-0370
View a list of Soup Kitchens and shelters for unhoused neighbors (prepared by Interfaith Action of Evanston).
611 Free Store
The 611 Free Store in south Evanston provides new, unopened, high-need essentials to our neighbors in need.
April Drop-off Hours are April 2-23,
Sundays, 3-6pm
Mondays, 10am-5pm
Tuesdays, 10am-2pm
Thursdays, 1-3pm
Volunteer at the 611 Free Store
Volunteer shopping https://tinyurl.com/help611free
Volunteer sorting https://tinyurl.com/sort611
Contribute to keep 611 going https://tinyurl.com/build611
Support the fundraiser that made April possible https://gofund.me/8bf770b33
Join their mailing list https://tinyurl.com/611maillist
Follow along on Facebook @611 Free Store
Additional Support
- City of Evanston 311 Center: Call or text 847-448-4311 for local support.
Other Northshore Food Resources:
More Food Resources
Find Food IL - An interactive map to find free food programs in every part of Illinois. No prior application is needed to get help. Greater Chicago Food DepositoryNorthern Illinois Food Bank
Utilities
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)ComEd payment assistance programsNicor Gas bill payment assistance programs
Financial
Housing
- HUD Tenants’ Rights (PDF). The National Housing Law Project (NHLP) provides guidance to those who receive housing assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
- Entry Point Call Center. Suburban Cook County residents who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless can call 1-877-426-6515 to be referred to assistance resources