McHenry County churches and agencies are helping feed families hit hard by rising inflation costs of food, gas, and childcare. They say while some recipients may be elderly or unemployed, many are “working poor” with full-time jobs who just cannot make ends meet.

And the number of those who cannot afford the basic necessities such as food is on the rise, nearing the numbers seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, some say.

“A lot of them are working poor,” said Mary Margaret Maule, program manager for United Way of the Greater McHenry County. “If you are making $17 an hour in a full-time job [and] the cost of childcare, the cost of gas, the cost of food, everything has gone up ... They just can’t bridge the gap, and, most people in our program, [their] instability comes in clusters, it is rarely one thing.”

Maule said she often sees related scenarios. Someone’s car unexpectedly breaks down, or their refrigerator breaks down and all the food they bought has to be thrown out. On top of that, they now have to spend money to repair the refrigerator or buy a new one.

Rich Pizarek, of Crystal Lake, has been the lead volunteer helping feed families with St. Vincent DePaul Society at The Church of the Holy Apostles, 5211 Bull Valley Road in McHenry, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The need that was high during the pandemic declined a bit, he said. But in recent months the need is rising again. As costs of food rises, people’s income or those on disability or who receive food stamps, their income is staying the same. The stimulus checks that may have helped during the pandemic are gone, Pizarek said.

Regardless, he said, there are so many programs available in McHenry County for those who need food and cannot afford it, that when all those other expenses hit, they spend the money on other needs and not on food.

“Getting food is the easiest thing you can get help with,” Pizarek said. “There aren’t a lot of organizations that will help you with your water bill or ComEd. There are many giving away food. Don’t spend your money on food. There is so much help out there.”

But food availability is not as obvious as it might seem. He has even noticed when buying food from the food bank that the pages of items available are fewer. The food bank also is cutting back on such items as milk, cheese and eggs. Amazon and grocery stores also have cut back on how much food they donate, Pizarek said.

At Holy Apostles, where St. Vincent DePaul Society spends about $1,200 a week feeding people, no questions are asked and no one is turned away based on where they live, Pizarek said.

Holy Apostles serves about 180 individuals at “Monday Night Dinners.” This used to be a sit-down meal inside the church but has been on hold since the pandemic. People need to register in advance and they pick up meals and take them to go.

From 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. the church also hosts “Wednesday Night Food Distribution” where they serve about 200 families weekly. For more information visit thechurchofholyapostles.org.

Pizarek said he sees people from all walks of life coming to pick up food, including working farmers, veterans, single mothers, as well entire families where the parents have lost their jobs. That’s an observation shared by the Rev. Scott Zaucha at St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, 503 W Jackson St., Woodstock who also does not ask questions of people coming to pick up food.

“People don’t want to be asked every detail of their life just because they need food,” Zaucha said. “We try hard to treat every person with dignity.”

Maule connects people in need with the appropriate locations and resources.

In March, through a $200,000 grant, United Way created a delivery program with Door Dash to have groceries delivered to those who are unable to drive to a food pantry, a service Pizarek and Zauch said they have used.

The program “Ride United: Last Mile Delivery” works with 15 partners throughout McHenry County and can deliver groceries within 10 miles of the appropriate food pick-up site. She can even deliver pet food, medical devices such as walkers or shower seats, educational materials and books. Closer to the holidays they will deliver holiday meals.

Maule said one woman, to whom she delivers food to through Door Dash, is a single mother with three young children and no vehicle. For her to walk to her nearest food pantry, she had one child in a stroller, one on her hip and another holding her hand. Another client is a veteran with no car.

Door Dash makes about 85 deliveries a week with a goal of 300 per week, Maule said.

Currently, there are some towns such as Hebron, Marengo and Harvard that are unable to get the delivery service because of a lack of Door Dash drivers, Maule said.

United Way and the Door Dash delivery service have 15 partners throughout the county to provide food. Some, though not all of the partners, are served by the Northern Illinois Food Bank, she said.

Currently the Door Dash service also delivers from the Woodstock Food Pantry, 1033 Lake Ave., McHenry VFW Post 4600, 3002 IL Route 120, The Salvation Army Crystal Lake Corps, 290 W. Crystal Lake Road, Fish of McHenry Food Pantry, 3515 N. Richmond Road, The Chapel McHenry, 1809 Route 31, and Casa de Vida, 4513 Front Royal Drive, McHenry.

“Every pantry I support has shared that there has been an increase in neighbors in need,” Maule said. “And for many – they have a need – they just don’t know how to find the resources to assist.”

Like Pizarek and others, Zaucha said his church, which provides groceries from “The Mobile Pantry” from 4 to 5:30 p.m. every other Monday, also has witnessed the need coming in waves. (Zaucha recommends checking for exact dates at stannswoodstock.org because they are subject to change).

Through the Faith Leaders of McHenry County collaborative, Zaucha helps provide food at his Woodstock church as well as in McHenry and Harvard.

In the beginning of 2021, Zaucha said on Mondays they served about 180 families weekly. The number declined to about 100 later in 2021. Now they are serving almost 200 families a week.

“We have seen a huge need, and very often it is a hidden need,” Zaucha said. “In Woodstock everything looks nice on the surface, but often there is quite a bit of need when you dig just a little bit.”

At the beginning of the pandemic, Zaucha said the faith leaders collaboration was contacted by the food bank because Woodstock was identified as a high-need area after another food bank shut down because of the pandemic.

Zaucha’s food locations also attracts much support through donations and volunteers.

“We have a lot of partners,” he said. “People have a strong desire to care for people in our town. and I think it is really a good sign that people in faith communities and other organizations really want to help.”

Information on food pantries, mobile food pantries and Door Dash deliveries in McHenry County is available by contacting Maule at mmaule@uwmchenry.org or calling her at 815-363-1377. Information and food pantry locations also are available by visiting Naturallymchenrycounty.com and mchenrcountyil.gov.