Giving Stories

Sharing Your Kindness

Friends like you have the power to share hope in our community today, tomorrow, and long into the future. We’d like to share just a few stories of our most devoted supporters who joined our Tomorrow’s Harvest society when they decided to donate a percentage of their estate to providing meals to kids, families, and seniors here in Northern Illinois for years to come. The Food Bank couldn’t do what we do without your generosity, for which we are deeply grateful.

Leave a Legacy of Hope

Donors who choose to leave even 1 percent of their estate to the Food Bank can drastically change lives for the better in the process. You can make a lasting impact in just three easy steps:

STEP 1: Decide how you’d like to give.

STEP 2: Schedule time to chat with your attorney.

STEP 3: Become a member of Tomorrow’s Harvest by notifying us of your gift.

For more information, please contact Gina Gramarosso at 630-443-6910, ext. 130 or ggramarosso@northernilfoodbank.org.

Leaving a Legacy of Two Lifetimes

Between Katherine and Joseph Triolo, they have lived more than 198 years, but one of their most memorable days was July 13, 2017.

Mary Kathryn’s Legacy of Health and Hope

Mary Kathryn Black remembers reading about childhood hunger and thinking that she had to do something. She made her first gift to Northern Illinois Food Bank in 2011 because “It’s so wrong that young children go to bed with an empty stomach while so many people have so much.”

Couple’s Gift Will Feed Generations of Neighbors—A Tribute to Our Hometown Heroes

ongtime friends of Northern Illinois Food Bank, Neal and Lois Oppenheimer were dedicated to serving children, families, and seniors in need across our community. For 10 years, they helped provide nourishing food when our neighbors needed it most.

Plainfield Couple’s Legacy Gift supports Food Bank’s Mission

Carolyn and Fred Martens cared deeply for others. During their marriage of 65 years, they strengthened their community both personally and professionally. They always had deep empathy for those in need and experienced great joy in helping others.

Jon and Marsha Habegger

Jon and Marsha Habegger have a deep love for serving their community. For Marsha, that love manifests in the form of spending hours every week volunteering for several local nonprofits.

Dan Heagy

Dan Heagy was the Executive Vice President & Creative Director at Leo Burnett Advertising in Chicago for 28 years.

Esther Ruth (Myrum) Homeck

Esther Ruth (Myrum) Homeck was a woman who lived life to its fullest. She enjoyed 31 years of marriage with her husband Harry; together they traveled extensively (particularly enjoying trips to Norway and Sweden), participated in a wide variety of hobbies such as square dancing, and enjoyed discussing politics.

Victoria Lillian (Pappas) Lagges

Victoria Lillian (Pappas) Lagges was a multi-faceted individual with many interests: travel, music, art, literature, dancing, history, nature, architecture, and more.

Tomorrow’s Harvest Society Members: Jim and Cathy Truesdale

When Sister Rosemarie first asked Jim and Cathy Truesdale to help start an organization to feed the hungry in DuPage County back in the early ‘80s, it would have been easy for them to say no. They were recently married, just starting their family, and Jim was finishing up his master’s degree.

Diane Scholten—Tomorrow’s Harvest Society Member

Diane Scholten is passionate about a great many things, but creating a healthier community is right there at the top of the list.