Every year around this time (and temperature), I look in my kitchen cabinets and wonder what’s up with all the cans of soup, beans, and cranberry sauce. Maybe that’s why June is Hunger Awareness Month.

The number of people going hungry in our area is staggering. More than 305,000 (different) residents a year rely on the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s distribution programs. 78% have income below the federal poverty level. 36% are children. 31% are households with at least one employed adult.

If you, too, have a lucky overload (or even a modest surplus) of items in your pantry, please consider donating them to the Depository. You can drop stuff off at participating FedExKinkos, Jewel-Oscos, or Whole Foods all this month. (See list of stores on second page of this post. It wasn’t linkable.) There’s also a FedEx Virtual Food Drive where you can buy a few things for a virtual grocery cart or just send a donation.

See the complete list of June events and ways to give here. For fact sheets about hunger in Chicago, go here.

This month, bring your donations of canned goods and non-perishable items to the following FedEx Kinko’s locations:

6 W. Lake, Chicago, IL 60601
700 S. Wabash, Chicago, IL 60601
444 N. Wells, Chicago, IL 60601
29 S. LaSalle, Chicago, IL 60603
55 E. Monroe, Chicago, IL 60603
111 E. Wacker, Chicago, IL 60603
127 S. Clinton, Chicago, IL 60606
227 W. Monroe, Chicago, IL 60606
101 N. Wacker, Chicago, IL 60606
1242 S. Canal, Chicago, IL 60607
843 W. Van Buren, Chicago, IL 60607
1201 N. Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60610
2300 N. Clybourn, Chicago, IL 60614
3435 N. Western, Chicago, IL 60618
1800 W. North Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622
1315 E. 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637
3001 N. Clark, Chicago, IL 60657
3524 N. Southport, Chicago, IL 60657

Drop off your donated food items this month at the following Jewel-Osco stores and enter the US 99.5 FM-sponsored Country Thunder USA ticket giveaway!

May 16 10AM-2PM 423 E. Dundee Rd. Palatine IL 60067 847-991-4545
May 19 10AM-2PM 9528 S. Roberts Rd. Hickory Hills IL 60457 708-599-5514
June 18 8AM-12PM 17117 S. Harlem Ave. Tinley Park IL 60477 708-532-7414
June 25 8AM-12PM 7900 Milwaukee Ave. Niles IL 60439 630-243-1925
July 1 10AM-2PM 1202 State St. Lemont IL 60714 847-965-3925
July 6 9:30AM-2PM 1860 S. Arlington Heights Rd. Arlington Hts IL 60005 847-593-1730
July 11 12:30-4PM 7910 S. Cicero Ave. Burbank IL 60459 708-422-5252
July 12 12-4PM 2501 Schaumburg Rd. Schaumburg IL 60194 847-524-8960
July 13 12-4PM 7525 W. Lake St. River Forest IL 60305 708-771-0044
July 14 12-4PM 2775 Pfingsten Rd. Glenview IL 60026 847-564-8550

Buy or drop off your donated food items this month at the following Whole Foods stores:

1331 N. Rand Rd, Palatine, IL 60074
1640 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL 60201
7245 W. Lake St, River Forest, IL 60305
30 W. Huron, Chicago, IL 60610
1000 W. North Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
3300 N. Ashland, Chicago, IL 60657