Thanks to “YoungManSummer (see comment below)” I discovered that the Census research I published was off by a factor a three with regard to poverty in McHenry County.
I published that it was 22%, while it is really 7.6%. The headline and story have been altered to reflect
That’s 7.6% in poverty is up from 5.6% in 2009.
With 7.6% of McHenry County households under the poverty line, according to the most recent findings of the U.S. Census, it is wonder than only 70-80 people come to Nunda Township for the food giveaway run by the First United Methodist Church of Crystal Lake each Friday morning.
A sign has been posted warning people not to park for the food pantry before 9 AM
People started lining up as early as 3:15 AM for their place in line until Nunda Township Officials recently imposed rules that prohibited parking prior to 9 AM.
One man comes from Streamwood pretty much every Friday.
McHenry County residents sign in from Harvard, Marengo, McHenry, Fox River Grove, Woodstock, as well as Crystal Lake and other towns.
Last Friday, there was a bonanza.
There were so many turkeys that there was not room to put them on the tables dedicated to meat. There were stacked next to the break tables. There always seems to be more bread available than people can use.
The Jewel in Woodstock had leftover turkeys from Thanksgiving Week.
Dry goods usually come from the Woodstock Jewel, but one woman who was moving out of McHenry County brought over what she had on hand.
They were frozen, so no question of their being outdated.
There are usually three tables of dry goods. Last week there were four boxes of a brand of chips. Some really spicy, others tasting bacon-flavored.
The arrangement of the available food starts with dry goods.
There are two or three tables for meat. Note all the boxes underneath that have not been unpacked.
Crystal Lake and Woodstock Jewel stores donate meat.
Dairy comes from the Northern Illinois Food Bank.
Last week two trips had to be made to the Crystal Lake store to bring everything available.
After the dairy tables come the vegetables. These were supplemented by veggies grown behind the Nunda Township Hall by a team of Master Gardeners.
Next comes miscellaneous frozen food and dairy.
Next to the veggies is a table of fruit. There was way too much last week. What’s left over has been taken to a wild animal refuge north of the Wisconsin line–lines and bears and other exotics that people don’t want to care for anymore.
The Northern Illinois Food Bank delilvers 3-5 pallets of food.
Almost always there is enough desserts that people can get some on a second trip through the line. Note the unpacked boxes under the table.
Sometimes the pallets are stacked higher than I am tall.
So, if you or someone you know needs food, the Nunda Township Hall is the place to go Friday mornings starting at 9.
Where the Nunda Township Hall is located.
Sometimes the food is not ready for pick-up until 10:30-11, but people can get their place in line starting at 9.
Virtually always there is enough food for people to fill a first box and come around for a second.
It all looks very nice.
However, I can still recall back in the seventies when my older two children had to “take” free lunches at grammar school.
They were horrified to have to take those lunches.
Maybe the stigma of “poverty” just doesn’t go away.
While we are all taught that there are no “free lunches”; we still have to ask, “what’s the catch?”.
So Cal should Alg Twh open a facility also like Diane suggested?
Does the lack of jobs and high taxes have anything to do with this ?
The next time you see a Democrat don’t forget to thank them, as their war on the middle class continues.
REpublicans made the high property taxes in this county, Honest Abe.
A lot of working class poor who try to live on Walmart wages don’t have cars to get to these places or may be working at the time of the giveaway. I hope the extra food is donated to PADS or some other charity to cook and give to people.
Cindy I am sorry your kids felt ashamed but now there are so many poor in all of the states that it is not their fault it is the policies that sent jobs overseas, let the rich and corporations hide their money, and give so many tax breaks to phone 501c organizations and churches that preach politics from the pulpit which they are not supposed to do.
The catch, some people do have generous hears.
Let’s thank them and everyone else who gives to the poor.
I deal with the very hungry and homeless, PADS and other shelters in the Woodstock area and while we do our very best to accommidate all who come to our door the majority are the working poor who just so happen to work during the hours that most Food Pantry’s are open.
It’s criminal to watch people as you go about your daily business and ignore the poorly dressed, yelling children (who are HUNGRY) sleep deprived parents and the rest not helped by available programs.
From looking at the United States Census Bureau website, it looks like the percentage of people under poverty is at 7% for McHenry County. See link below towards the bottom of page:
http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045214/17111,1745694,00
Here is another link to the 2010-2014 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates which shows it near 7% as well under all people towards the bottom.
http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_14_5YR_DP03&prodType=table
Thanks for the correction, YoungManSummer.
It appears the number now is 7.6%.
See http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk
Well that makes more sense considering the federal poverty level is only 11,770 for individuals.
No problem
Almost everything in a package, so much for the poor farm (working farm for the poor).
https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/3031/pit-and-hic-data-since-2007/
Unsheltered homeless reported by the McHenry County CoC for 2015 Point In Time study was 9.
Sheltered homeless was 168.
In response to:
Does this mean that all of the agencies involved in the People In Need Forum are under-performing?
There are children in several third world nations who are going without proper nutrition through no fault of the parent or child.
That is not the case in this country.
Our society appears to have no problem yanking children from parents who home-school.
Do you suggest we should apply the same practice to families described with:
How typical of Algonquin Township, for Supervisor Klemmm to suggest spending more of our tax money for a new building to store excess food!
Ever think of asking other agencies or townships who NEED this food to pick it up and distribute?
Being a less than partime Supervisor, paid $77,000+ per year, lends no relevance to the average taxpayer.