Rockford food bank opens grocery store-style market to address food pantry stigma

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — A new “neighborhood market” within the Northern Illinois Food Bank hopes to address the stigma of visiting a food pantry.

The market is set up like a traditional grocery store, to “normalize” going to the food pantry, according to officials, who say there may be a source of embarrassment for people patronizing a food bank.

The Neighborhood Market also features “order-ahead” lockers so food can be ordered online and picked up later.

“In our old space, we would have to have one activity at a time. You could have the food pantry open, you could be volunteering, or agencies could be coming to pick up. Now, everything can happen all at once. And so we know that we can provide a greater impact for the community,” said Julie Yurko, president and CEO of the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

The market is located inside the food bank in the old K-Mart on Sandy Hollow Road, and is open Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Those in need can visit once a week.