Fill a Bag, Fill a Bus December 2024 Recap: The Gift of a Meal
Even in the cold and dreary weather, 'Fill a Bag, Fill a Bus' December 2024 was a huge success and it’s all because of you, Chicago!
This past week The U and our partners, MeTV FM, Jewel-Osco, the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Butcher Boy Cooking Oils, and the CTA, participated in our annual December ‘Fill a Bag, Fill a Bus’ food drive. Thursday, December 12, and Friday, December 13, we came out to the Jewel-Osco in Oak Lawn and River Forest and asked shoppers to fill grocery bags with nonperishable food to fill our CTA bus with.
By the end of both days, our bus was jam-packed with grocery bags full of food that all went to the Greater Chicago Food Depository food pantries, Together We Cope and Beyond Hunger. Together We Cope is based in Tinley Park and serves 27 south suburban communities. Beyond Hunger provides hunger relief for people located in 13 zip codes across Cook County. So whether you donated food, money online, or cash in person, your contribution to these local food pantries will go directly to our neighbors in need of meals this holiday season. Thank you for your generosity Chicago.
As always, thank you to our partners, as well as Together We Cope and Beyond Hunger, for joining us on site to collect donations. The cold worked hard, but we worked harder! Also, thank you to our favorite FAB FAB guest, Steve Wilkos from The Steve Wilkos Show, for joining us in River Forest and continuing the tradition of assisting with donations and raising awareness.
Check out some photos from the event below.
Day 1: Jewel-Osco, 4650 W. 103rd St. Oak Lawn
- George Blaise, Trina from the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Taylor from Together We Cope
- Volunteers from the Greater Chicago Food Depository
- Our partner, Butcher Boy Cooking Oils
- George and Trina checking out the donations
- Donations from the end of day 1
Day 2: Jewel-Osco, 7525 W. Lake St. River Forest
- The Greater Chicago Food Depository's partner pantry, Beyond Hunger
- Brandon Pope and Michelle from Beyond Hunger
- Steve Wilkos arrives
- Steve and Brandon shooting promos
- Steve and Brandon with Daisy from Beyond Hunger and Camerin from the Greater Chicago Food Depository
- Steve greeting fans and signing autographs
- Group pic with Steve
- The U Marketing Team
- Volunteers from the Greater Chicago Food Depository
- Donations from the end of day 2
