The Beacon Place neighborhood is a designated food desert. The closest food retailer is the Family Dollar two blocks away, but it offers no fresh fruits, vegetables or quality sources of protein. This past September, that changed. Beacon Place has partnered with Top Box Foods, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing healthy and high-quality foods at affordable prices to families living in areas with limited access to nutritious eating options.

The goal of the program is to provide a distribution site for pre-packed boxes of fruits/vegetables and proteins offered at substantially reduced prices ($10-$11 per box or $20 for both). Top Box Foods is offering these boxes in conjunction with the Northern Illinois Food Bank through three distribution sites, including North Chicago, Round Lake, and Waukegan. The Waukegan site is just across the street from Beacon Place at Carman Buckner Elementary School.

Barb Karacic, Executive Director of Beacon Place, was asked to serve as a Community Leader with the program because of the recognition Beacon Place has in the southeast Waukegan area for connecting families and resources. Beacon Place volunteer and neighborhood resident Keith Wilson also serves with Top Box Foods as Community Liaison. He shares information in the community and assists families in registering for the program.

The first distribution occurred on September 20th. Food boxes were distributed to more than 200 families in the neighborhood! This program is open to all families in the area and LINK Cards (food stamps) are accepted. Top Box Foods has operated for several years in Cook County but is now broadening its reach as the families in poverty are becoming more present in suburban and blue collar counties.

Beacon Place is excited to be partnering with Top Box Foods and similar agencies that are committed to helping families by giving them access to the quality foods that lead to better nutrition and health.

To find out more about Top Box Foods, visit http://www.topboxfoods.com/Home_Page.html