Recently, my employer set up a volunteer day with HTF and I was really happy to participate! My…read morereview pertains to that side of things, not using their services. We arrived for a 3 hour shift which was to pack food boxes for seniors. There were two other companies there as well, so we had a good number of people to get the job done! Overall, they were very organized, energetic and motivating and answered any questions we had. At first I thought, how will this work with everyone knowing what to do? But you know what, the way they do it everything just moved along like a well oiled machine. People helped each other without asking and we just kept on packing those boxes. At the end, I think we did 925! They do require everyone stop for a 20 minute break halfway through and encourage you to stay hydrated. I'd highly recommend this as a volunteer opportunity with an employer group or even solo or with your family. What they offer the community is well needed and it's an rewarding experience.

Such a great organization! The new facility is outstanding and large enough for all the help they…read moregive the community! I spent time volunteering, packing boxes, it was great to know that the work we were doing was going straight out to the community. The team is so dedicated and so helpful. You can see the care and focus to help the community.

The staff here is usually very kind and helpful. Normal people can go here once, and all that they…read moregive you will sure help out. She to the fact that unfortunately, I am disabled. So I can go there once a month. I have generally found the employees to be pretty great. Liz is the person I most often see when I first go in. Her greeting me by name with a big smile makes me feel good and a little better about having to go to a food pantry. Thank you.

This is a food bank for the poor and in need and they accept volunteers all the time to help with…read morethe massive work of sorting donated food to be distributed to those in need. You can come on a weekend and work in their warehouse of food and sort the food by dates to make sure old food or opened packages don't get sent to those in need by mistake. Old food (that is close to the sell by date) is sent to the local zoos to help defray costs and waste.

From the owner: Our vision at Northern Illinois Food Bank is for everyone in Northern Illinois to have the food…read morethey need to thrive. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and proud member of Feeding America, we serve our neighbors in 13 counties with dignity, equity and convenience, providing 250,000 meals a day. We bring together manufacturers, local & corporate grocers, area farmers, corporations, foundations, and individuals who donate food and funding, and each week volunteers help us evaluate, repack, and distribute food. We also proudly partner with more than 900 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and youth & senior feeding programs to provide nutritious food & resources. Distribution centers are located in Geneva, Park City, Rockford and Joliet.

This pantry is a lifesaver…read more Having been laid off in Feb 2023, it has been a challenging experience, and this food pantry has greatly eased our anxieties and fears. I had never been to a pantry before, so I don't know if the process is similar to others, but what they have going on here is a mix of formality and yet an air of dignity and respect. Here's the general process: - Grab a ticket at the sign and wait for your number to be called - If it's your first visit, you'll have some paperwork to fill out, and it's not too long, but it makes sense, as they want to confirm your needs and track access - Based on the number of people in your household, you're allowed to select a certain number of fresh and frozen proteins, packaged and canned goods, and breads/carbs. - There is also a section of "grab-what-you-need" at the front, which still has limits, but they don't count against your total number of goods - At the end, they load your items in a cart for you to load in your car Everyone here is friendly and accommodating. I have accidentally over loaded on some of the categories of food and they have kindly allowed me to switch or select what I'd like to keep. I'm still unemployed, but this pantry has made our difficult season a lot less stressful. If you need help, please don't feel prideful or ashamed... go to the pantry!

Last year I was in a position to need to go to the food pantry. It was embarrassing but everyone…read morethere was kind and loving. I was suprised at how generous and high quality the offerings were. If your in a bad situation you should go.

Love the food bank but the times need to be updated. Not always correct on the websiteread more

VOLUNTEER. This is…read morean amazing organization with incredible staff and volunteers. I helped repack huge packages of cheese into portions more suitable for families in need. Bring your friends, family, coworkers. Somebody will eat today because of your efforts!

Excellent location to serve as a volunteer! Staff is friendly and effective. They make things easy…read moreto join in and make a difference in the community.

A fantastic organization with a solid mission…read more Feeding America operates as a good bank, accepting donations from various stores in the area and utilizing volunteers (like me!) to sort the items into like categories and get them to the agencies that can get then to the people who need it most. Want to volunteer? Their website is great as you can see available opportunities, sign up, and receive reminders all in one place!

Awesome service pantry is very neat clean food is good. The food is up-to-date. Sometimes most of…read morethe time I recommend this place to you.

They are very friendly, kind, helpful, and quick! They make the food pantry experience a pleasant…read moreone!

Great service, fun atmosphere, fair prices!…read more We went to the pumpkin farm a few weeks ago. We arrived at 4:30 pm only to find out they closed at 5pm instead of 7 pm as the Google listing showed. The person working the stand was so friendly and accommodating. She said we were still welcome to walk around and try everything out, so we did. It was pouring rain and we ran around to all the activities - the pedal cart track, the corn maze, pumpkins bowling, the fishing pool, tic-tac-toe, and the lasso challenge - in 30 minutes and had a blast. We were the only ones there and it was way worth the $4 entry fee. We also bought some pumpkins on the way out. We appreciate the fun experience and the great attitude of the woman working the stand. We will definitely return another year! *The Pumpkin farm is opened until 5 pm and then there are night festivities starting at 7pm.

Our favorite place to get a tree each year. We usually go the weekend after Thanksgiving and have…read morealways been able to find something (though this year we settled for something much smaller, and still somehow more expensive than last year). Buffalo Bill's offers the option to explore and cut your own tree, or grab a pre-cut tree from a display area. They provide saws and sleds for cutting things down and transporting them, and the shaker which gets rid of all the loose needles, and they tie the tree up nicely. Workers are always super friendly (is it possible to be cranky when you work at a Christmas tree farm?). I love that you can walk around so many different areas of the farm and take photos and explore the trees. They have a small fire pit for warming up, and some playground equipment for the kids. There are tons of Christmas-y inflatables and cut-outs, and Santa is usually there. Lots of photo opportunities! In the trailer kids can grab cookies & hot cocoa or cider and also make a pinecone + glitter ornament. We skipped that part this year because of COVID and how crowded it was, but we've always enjoyed that in years past. You can also get natural wreaths and other greenery, and sometimes they've got fundraisers going on with food for sale like brats and such. We're regulars and will be back again next year!