Chicago Holiday Giving Drive Targets Food Banks
Chicago employers running holiday giving programs can use this three-food-bank model as SNAP changes reshape local pantry demand.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Philanthropy
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ABC7 Chicago has launched its annual Feed the Love campaign to raise awareness about food insecurity, with a Feed the Love Takeover supporting three area food banks beginning November 12. Chicago operators with employee-giving or community-partnership programs can see how the broadcaster is structuring its drive.
Why it matters
Hunger is a year-round problem that places an especially heavy burden on families during the holidays, which is why the campaign runs through the season. The effort also covers the impact of recent changes to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and eligibility, a shift that affects the food-assistance environment local organizations rely on.
Last year's campaign raised more than $136,000 for local food pantries and regional food banks. The current drive is supporting the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Northern Illinois Food Bank and Food Bank of Northwest Indiana.
The players
ABC7 Chicago
Chicago broadcast television station owned by Disney, operating as a major local news outlet that runs community fundraising campaigns.
Greater Chicago Food Depository
Chicago-area hunger-relief organization that distributes food through a network of pantries and partner agencies.
Northern Illinois Food Bank
Regional food bank serving northern Illinois communities through a network of partner pantries and meal programs.
Food Bank of Northwest Indiana
Regional food bank serving northwest Indiana communities through partner pantries and feeding programs.
The details
The campaign runs a Meal Meter that is updated as donations come in, giving the public a running view of progress. On Giving Tuesday, December 1, ABC7 Meteorologist Tracy Butler will welcome representatives from three food banks to the broadcast. Reporters Leah Hope and Val Warner will file stories from food banks and pantries across the region through the holiday season, and a special Cooking Up a Storm episode on November 12 will feature seasonal farm-to-food-bank produce.
Timeline
Friday, Nov. 6: ABC7 employees volunteer at the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Thursday, Nov. 12: Feed the Love Takeover begins supporting three food banks.
Dec. 1, 2026: Giving Tuesday broadcast with food bank representatives.
Market Landscape
Local broadcasters running annual food-bank drives tie charitable giving to regional food-bank networks rather than to a single national program. The Feed the Love campaign's coverage of recent SNAP benefit and eligibility changes links that giving to the federal program now shaping demand at Chicago-area pantries.
Chicago businesses running employee-giving or matching programs can use the campaign's three-food-bank structure as a model for directing holiday donations toward regional networks. Operators should weigh how SNAP changes may shift demand at local pantries when planning seasonal giving budgets.
The takeaway
Local food-bank demand is shaped by federal benefit rules, so businesses planning holiday giving should track SNAP eligibility changes alongside campaign totals. Employers considering a volunteer day can use the Greater Chicago Food Depository sorting shift as a low-cost template; tax treatment of donations is a question for a qualified accountant.
What happens next
ABC7 employees volunteer at the Greater Chicago Food Depository on Friday, Nov. 6; the Feed the Love Takeover begins Thursday, Nov. 12; and a Giving Tuesday broadcast with food bank representatives airs Dec. 1, 2026.
Further reading
For more on how local donors and businesses support food-security efforts, see Philanthropy coverage in Chicago.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ABC7 Chicago.
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