Illinois Food Banks and Food Pantries by Region.
Illinois is covered by a network of regional food banks that together reach all 102 counties in the state. These organizations are part of the Feeding America network — they function as large distribution centers that collect, sort, and pass food along to hundreds of local food pantries, soup kitchens, and meal programs. This page lists each regional food bank by area of the state, along with links to county pages where you can find individual pantries closer to home.
Local food pantries hand groceries directly to households — typically canned goods, dry staples, fresh produce when available, and sometimes dairy or meat. Most run a brief intake process that may ask for proof of address or household size, though requirements differ by site. Soup kitchens serve prepared meals on-site and typically require no documentation. Because every pantry operates independently, availability and eligibility rules can vary significantly from one location to the next. Contact the pantry directly to confirm what is currently being distributed.
Illinois families who qualify for SNAP — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also called food stamps — can apply through the Illinois Department of Human Services. SNAP provides a monthly benefit loaded onto an EBT card accepted at most grocery stores. Eligibility is based on household size and income. To apply, visit https://abe.illinois.gov/access/ or call 1-800-843-6154. Many food pantries across the state can also help you start a SNAP application during your visit.
Local Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens by County
The county pages below list individual food pantries, soup kitchens, and meal programs with addresses and phone numbers. Contact locations directly to confirm current availability and any documentation requirements.
Champaign County
Chicago and Cook County
DeKalb County
DuPage County
Franklin County
Kankakee County
Lake County
Macon County
Madison County
McHenry County
McLean County
Rock Island County
Sangamon County
Tazewell County
Vermilion and Iroquois County
Will County
Winnebago County
Feeding America Food Banks in Illinois
The Feeding America food banks below are the backbone of Illinois's food assistance network. Each operates in a defined territory; the counties listed under each entry are the ones that organization serves. If you are not sure which food bank covers your county, use the county list above or the Feeding Illinois food locator at https://www.feedingillinois.org/
Metro Chicago and Northeast Illinois
Greater Chicago Food Depository
The Greater Chicago Food Depository is the largest Feeding America affiliate in Illinois and one of the largest in the country. It supplies food to more than 700 partner organizations across Cook County — pantries, soup kitchens, mobile distribution sites, and senior meal programs. The Depository also operates its own mobile food pantries and helps connect households to SNAP and other nutrition assistance - with programs listed on its website at https://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/
Address: 4100 W. Ann Lurie Place, Chicago, IL 60632
Phone: (773) 247-3663
Counties served: Cook
Northern Illinois Food Bank
Northern Illinois Food Bank serves the collar counties surrounding Chicago along with a wide band of north-central and northwest Illinois. It works with hundreds of partner agencies to distribute groceries, runs mobile pantry sites across its territory, and connects residents to SNAP enrollment assistance. Its website at https://solvehungertoday.org/ has a food locator for finding partner pantries in specific communities.
Address: 273 Dearborn Court, Geneva, IL 60134
Phone: (630) 443-6910
Counties served: Boone, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson, Will, Winnebago
Central and East-Central Illinois
Central Illinois Foodbank
Based in Springfield, the Central Illinois Foodbank serves a broad stretch of central and west-central Illinois. It supplies food to a network of local pantries, soup kitchenss and community agencies and distributes free groceries through partner locations across its 21-county area. The foodbank's website at https://centralilfoodbank.org/ has a locator for finding food near you.
Address: 1937 E. Cook Street, Springfield, IL 62703
Phone: (217) 522-4022
Counties served: Adams, Bond, Brown, Cass, Christian, Effingham, Fayette, Greene, Jefferson, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Marion, Menard, Montgomery, Morgan, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby
Eastern Illinois Foodbank
Eastern Illinois Foodbank is based in Urbana and covers a large section of central, east-central, and central-north Illinois — including the Peoria and Bloomington-Normal metro areas as well as smaller rural counties throughout the region. It partners with pantries, senior programs, and meal sites across its 21-county territory. Use https://www.eifoodbank.org/ to find partner pantries by county.
Address: 2405 North Shore Drive, Urbana, IL 61802
Phone: (217) 328-3663
Counties served: Champaign, Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Iroquois, Jasper, Livingston, Mason, McLean, Moultrie, Peoria, Piatt, Tazewell, Vermilion, Woodford
Western Illinois
River Bend Food Bank
River Bend Food Bank is based in Davenport, Iowa, and serves a large cluster of western Illinois counties running from the Mississippi River corridor east into the interior of the state. It distributes food through local pantries, mobile distribution sites, and partner agencies. Illinois residents can find nearby food through the locator at https://riverbendfoodbank.org/
Address: 4010 Kimmel Drive, Davenport, IA 52802
Phone: (563) 345-6490
Counties served: Bureau, Carroll, Fulton, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Jo Daviess, Knox, LaSalle, Lee, Marshall, McDonough, Mercer, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Warren, Whiteside
Southern Illinois
Tri-State Food Bank
Tri-State Food Bank is based in Evansville, Indiana, and serves the southernmost tier of Illinois counties — a largely rural region where food insecurity rates tend to run above the state average. The food bank works with pantries and soup kitchens across its coverage area and administers programs including TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program), which distributes USDA commodities to low-income households.
Address: 2504 Lynch Road, Evansville, IN 47711
Phone: (812) 425-0775
Counties served: Alexander, Edwards, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Johnson, Lawrence, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, Richland, Saline, Union, Wabash, Wayne, White
St. Louis Area Foodbank
The St. Louis Area Foodbank operates as a bi-state organization, covering southwestern Illinois in addition to eastern Missouri. For Illinois residents, it is the primary Feeding America affiliate for the Metro East region — the cluster of communities across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. It distributes food through a network of more than 500 partner agencies and programs throughout its territory.
Address: 70 Corporate Woods Drive, Bridgeton, MO 63044
Phone: (314) 292-6262
Counties served: Calhoun, Clinton, Franklin, Jackson, Jersey, Madison, Monroe, Perry, Randolph, St. Clair, Washington, Williamson
Statewide Food Assistance Resources
Feeding Illinois is the statewide association of all seven food banks listed above. Their food locator at feedingillinois.org lets you search by county to find food resources near you, including pantries connected to the Feeding America network.
The Illinois Department of Human Services Food Connections tool (website: https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=31245) lets residents search by ZIP code for food pantries, SNAP application sites, and Meals on Wheels programs in their area. The IDHS also administers SNAP — eligible households can apply online, by phone, or in person at any IDHS Family Community Resource Center. Call 1-800-843-6154 for assistance.
The Illinois Hunger Prevention Coalition Hotline is a free, statewide referral service that can connect you with emergency food resources and other assistance programs in your county. It is available to anyone facing food insecurity in Illinois. Illinois Hunger Coalition Prevention Hotline, a free statewide resource.
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