First south suburban school food pantry thriving in Richton Park

Betsy Williams used to host Thanksgiving and Christmas events for students and families at Rich Township High School District 227.

The longtime food service manager’s efforts led to “family fun nights” where families would come in for homework help, food and fun activities for the kids.

Now, Williams is in charge of District 227’s food pantry, the first high school-based pantry in the south suburbs. The pantry serves the district’s students, families and staff.

“When you’re in food service, you’re well aware of students who are hungry,” Williams told the Chicago Sun-Times. “[And] students are only successful when they have all their needs met.”

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The COVID-19 pandemic only worsened things.

Williams got the district to include space for a food pantry in a new field house at the district’s Richton Park campus, which was completed in 2022. District 227 also has a high school campus in Olympia Fields.

The food pantry opened in November. A ceremony to spread the word throughout the school community was held Friday.

The District 227 pantry serves 100 households every month — the same rate some northwest suburban school pantries achieved after six years. Orders are placed online and picked up curbside, once a month.

The Greater Chicago Food Depository is now bringing 7,000 pounds of food monthly to the small pantry, which has been able to get all of it out to the community regularly.

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The District 227 food pantry joins operations in Schaumburg School District 54 that work with the Greater Chicago Food Depository and serve its students, families and staff.

Not all school food pantry programs work the same way or have dedicated space. Some pantries let people come and take as they please, while others are more event-based, according to Greater Chicago Food Depository.

“There’s no one-size-fits-all when we’re trying to eliminate hunger in a community,” said a spokesperson for the Greater Chicago Food Depository. “This really meets parents where they are; it’s very simple.”

Now contemplating retirement, Williams said she wanted to create something that would outlast her time at the school.

She hopes to add a new freezer and start collecting clothes to distribute, as well, so things are looking up.

“I have no doubt this will be sustainable and grow,” Williams said.