The Kendall County Food Pantry issued the following news release:

On Saturday, May 7, the Kendall County Food Pantry will be holding its first fundraiser titled “Stand by Me 2011,” at Whitetail Ridge Golf Course, 7671 Clubhouse Drive, Yorkville.

The dinner and silent auction event will help in aiding the nonprofit organization to raise money for two new introductory programs, in addition to providing low-income families with the necessary staples of food and clothing.

This year the pantry plans to add a program to help unemployed individuals find employment through networking and job search assistance.

“Our goal is to give people the resources and help to become self-sufficient and to learn how to get back in the job market,” said Maria Spaeth, executive director of the food pantry.

The other program will focus on providing summer lunches to children who participate in school free or reduced lunch programs.

“Our needs and the needs of those we serve in our community have grown because of the explosive growth in our county,” said Spaeth as she mentioned the recently published census figures. “I wasn’t surprised that Kendall County’s population doubled because every year our numbers have increased. In the month of December more than 6,700 individuals sought assistance or some type of service through the food pantry.”

Spaeth and the food pantry board decided a fundraiser was necessary because of the explosive growth and the desire to increase services.

According to Spaeth the fundraiser’s primary purpose is to continue to aid the community and expand services without increasing overhead costs. Approximately 93.4 percent of all donations and money that is raised throughout the year goes back to the community.

And, says Spaeth, “We have very little overhead because of our workforce—a pool of dedicated and committed volunteers that pickup, distribute, and shelve the food on a weekly basis. I couldn’t do it without them, I have been extremely blessed.”

The food pantry also makes good use of the money that is spent. For every dollar that is donated, six dollars worth of food is purchased through the Northern Illinois Food Bank (NIFB), whose mission is to provide nutritious food to those in need through the efforts of 665 partner organizations. In addition to serving Kendall County, the NIFB serves a total of 13 northern Illinois counties.

Spaeth is encouraging the entire community to get behind the fundraiser and support the pantry’s efforts.

“Whether someone donates $1 or $800 everything and anything is appreciated and will be used feed and help those who are struggling in our communities," she said.

Donations can be sent directly to the Kendall County Food Pantry at 1204A Deer Street, Yorkville, IL 60560.

The tickets to attend the fundraiser are $75 each or $700 for a table of 10 and can be purchased through the organization’s website at www.kendallcountyfoodpantry.org or by calling 630-553-0473.