Thanks to great communities like Glendale Heights!

What a thrill today to hear that our Fox Chicago / Jewel-Osco Food Drive during Hunger Action Month raised nearly $2 million in donations!  Given our current economic climate, we didn’t expect to surpass last year’s total of $1.3 million. It’s heartwarming to know that people care about others even when they may also be in need.

Last month, Patrick Elwood and I met some amazing people while covering the food drive. From the man in Northwest Indiana who came out to donate a single can of beans to another man in the Southwest suburbs who added a single box of cereal, every little donation clearly added up.

All of it will benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Northern Illinois Food Bank, Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, Midwest Food Bank and River Bend Food Bank where volunteers have seen demand about double over the past year.

Patrick and I proudly display the big check with our friends from Jewel-Osco & the Northern IL Food Bank.

To everyone who volunteered, to all the businesses that donated goods by the truckloads, to those who came out to donate into the bins during our live segments and to the countless others who donated during checkout at Jewel-Osco, THANK YOU!!!

"Mmmmm... breakfast!"

I forgot to eat yesterday!  I didn’t realize until this morning that I was so busy all day, I never had a chance to eat.  Today wasn’t much better – only had time for a yogurt and coffee while on the way to my “Good Day Chicago” live shot in suburban Glenview.

In the news business, you often don’t know where you’ll be going or what you’ll be covering until that day.  If there’s breaking news, you might even get diverted to something else entirely.  The Fox Chicago camera guys are always saying, “Go to the bathroom when you can and eat when you can because you don’t know when the next chance will happen.”

Sean sets up the live truck after his Reese's breakfast.

Cameraman Sean Gibbons keeps an emergency stash of prepared foods in his backpack. But most of it is smashed and likely long expired.  “How’s that taste?” I ask, regarding the mangled Reese’s peanut butter cup he downed while driving.   He deadpans, “It tastes smashed and stale.”  But it’s enough to fuel him through the morning shift.

A long line & wait for the Mobile Food Pantry.

By this afternoon, I was in Gary, Indiana to shoot a story set to air next week. Nothing like a reality check to put things in perspective. We followed NW Indiana Food Bank workers to a mobile pantry site where a long line awaited their arrival.  For some people, it’s their first time requesting food aid. Each person received a big box of non-perishable items and even some fresh bread and vegetables.

Most of us have never known true hunger.

Got a hunger to help?  Click here to join our Fox Chicago/Jewel-Osco “Give a little. Feed a lot” campaign.  I’ll be live in Glendale Heights tomorrow morning during “Good Day Chicago”.

Our 2008 campaign brought in $1.6 million worth of donations!

Truth be told, there’s often grumbling and grousing in the newsroom over sponsored segments or special partnerships. It’s quite the contrary with a major campaign Fox Chicago is set to launch soon for Hunger Action Month.  We are teaming up with supermarket chain Jewel-Osco and a number of local food banks to help raise funds and reel in donations.

This is our second year working with the folks at Jewel and I can honestly say it’s one of the most rewarding assignments of the year.  My co-anchor Patrick Elwood and I will soon host live segments during “Good Day Chicago” to highlight the “Give a Little, Feed a Lot” campaign.  As you might guess, our economy and the dismal job situation has the current level of demand for help far outweighing the supply.

Jewel-Osco donates over 7 million lbs. of food throughout the year.

Throughout September, Jewel-Osco will be collecting cash and food donations at all of its 183 Chicago area stores.  Or come out and donate during one of our live segments.  The donations will benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Northern Illinois Food Bank, Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, Midwest Food Bank and River Bend Food Bank.

I will never forget meeting a tearful woman in suburban Westmont last year. She had a small bag of items she could barely afford.  But she wanted to donate because she was so grateful to her local pantry. It takes so little to make a difference.  Please help us to help others.

Join in the drive LIVE!  ”Good Day Chicago” 6-10am on:

9/3 2340 N. Ashland, Chicago;  9/10 2164 Bloomingdale Road, Glendale Heights;   9/17 805 Joliet Road, Dyer, IN;  9/24 9350 W. 159th, Orland Park