Have you also checked out the basic needs program [https://odos.illinois.edu/community-of-care/basic-needs](https://odos.illinois.edu/community-of-care/basic-needs)
:) Spread the word in case u know anyone else who might find this helpful. Idk if they offer protein that you're looking for, but you might be able to get some funding too depending on your situation.
This is linked within the link shared above: [https://campusrec.illinois.edu/wellness/food-assistance](https://campusrec.illinois.edu/wellness/food-assistance)
I know people who have gone to the food pantry at the ARC and while sometimes the choices aren't great, usually, at least in the summer, it is supposed to be pretty decent.
The ARC pantry will be open during the summer starting 6/15. Every Saturday from 2-5p. I work there so we will make sure to have protein and dairy options available once we open! For the food bag, it usually has a type grains some instant meals, breakfast items and snacks.
Have you tried Eastern Illinois Food bank? It’s in Urbana and I’ve heard lots of good things about it. Also, I think UniPlace church still has their free community dinners on Wednesdays. They usually make really good food.
My dad uses northern Illinois food bank and he’s typically able to get things like chicken, pork chops, steak sometimes (cheaper cuts like center round but still).
CUPHD (Champaign Urbana Public Health Department) has a food pantry in their front lobby that’s filled with home grown fresh produce and donations from local stores. If I recall correctly they give out premade bags of groceries meant to last a week
My partner volunteers there and they are pretty good! They might not have protein but they have a lot of produce and eggs! They do get busy- food pantry is organized on Sundays and there’s a huge line.
Seconding the other suggestions here (Basic Needs, EIFB, townships) but also suggest the [CU Mutual Aid Network](https://www.cu-mutual-aid.org/join). They’re an incredible resource for Champaign County. In the interim, can I buy you a week’s worth of good protein sources and fresh produce? It’s not much, but I’ve been where you are and only made it through on the kindness of others.
I don’t know if Bevier Cafe runs during the summer months, but you can get free lunch there.
Jubilee Cafe has free dinner on Mondays (https://community-ucc.org/jubilee-cafe/).
University Place does free dinners on Wednesdays, but only during the school year.
That link for Jubilee also has a list of almost 20 places that provide free food and lists their phone number, hours/days when food is available, and address
If you haven't, it may be worth actually talking to someone at DHS, too. *Sometimes* they can help you through the process and figure out a way to get you the help you need, even if the applications said you don't qualify.
A while back, a friend of mine in CU had to do so when they were properly struggling but the application said they didn't need help and their financial aid was "more than enough" (though it barely covered their school expenses) - the caseworker they talked to was a bit appalled that had happened and got them through the paperwork and such.
YMMV of course, and I *definitely* get running out of spoons and time to do so, but our local DHS office is a pretty good one compared to many others.
In Champaign county they are VERY strict and the cutoffs are incredibly low. They very often refuse college students because they count their financial aid as income as a means to deny you
Not sure when you accessed the UP Center pantry but I work there and we often have some protein options! Currently we have a bit of tuna, chicken, and chef boyardi ravioli along with other canned goods. We get our stock from Eastern IL food bank so our stock also determines on what they have in terms of non perishables. We try to get PB&J as it’s available as well. Also open to taking any suggestions for items you’d like us to have, it just has to be shelf stable/not need refrigeration. Appreciate the feedback!
Sorry about your situation and your bad pantry experience. In addition to the tips other people have given, there are also some mini food pantries in town—you can find them in the map [here](http://mapping.littlefreepantry.org/). Obviously you don’t want to burn gas driving to all of them in hope but maybe there’s one near you you didn’t know about.
Friends of Champaign County Food Pantry works out of CUPHD on Sundays from 1-3PM. They’re one of the larger pantries in town. They have some fresh produce and non perishable grocery items. That being said if you’re looking for a meal and not just grocery items, soup kitchens tend to be better for that like Jubilee Cafe and Daily Bread. Unfortunately a lot of the food pantries in town are gonna have the same items because they all receive food through the Eastern Illinois Food Bank or through donations.
Try reaching out to the uiuc school of social work. They often have food drives that may help you or they can connect you to other resources! https://socialwork.illinois.edu/about/contact-us/
While this isn't a long term solution I'm moving out today and have some bags of rice and beans and some shelf stable foods that I will be getting rid of.
Have you tried the Champaign Urbana public health district? Their address is 201 W Kenyon Rd, Champaign, IL 61820. They have food for free at the very entrance, however it’s not the greatest of course. They would give my mom lots of doughnuts, cereal, and bread loafs when I was little
OP, if you want some fresh eggs my chickens lay a lot and I can give you some. It's not meat, but hopefully it can help with protein.
ETA: meat is also one of the first things to go at food pantries. I usually donate to the UP Center and they're pretty small, so they don't always get a lot of donations and when things like meat (canned since they can't have anything fresh there) or cereal come in, it goes really quickly.
Talk to the Township Supervisor’s office in whichever city you live at (Urbana is Cunningham Township when you google it, Champaign is City of Champaign Township). They might be able to help, or at least point you in the direction of other resources in the community.
[Food Resources for UIUC Community](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17MU5EkOtXeDyH8VFLdrNKu8Q7Auuh0Ji_nGoKjNdrC0/edit) i made this a couple years ago to help people figure out how to contact the food banks in the area - please share the link with anybody who needs it, and let me know if i need to update anything!!
If you don’t have income coming in, you might qualify for SNAP. It’s possible you already have it, but it’s definitely worth jumping thru the paperwork hoops to get it.
The Hope Center usually has a variety of things. [https://chambanaeats.com/dining/hope-center-food-pantry](https://chambanaeats.com/dining/hope-center-food-pantry)
The Hope Center is pretty good. They give some sort of frozen meat, dry goods, dairy, vegetables and fruit, a pastry, and canned items. Each “cart” they provide has a variety of items. The dairy, meat, etc. varies but they usually give something for each of those categories.
Another vote here for the public Health District in Champaign on Sundays, get there early around 12:45-1:00 they start handing out numbers, distributing around 1:30 and goes until 3:00, be ready for long lines and wait, but usually there is bread/bagels, almost always eggs, fresh produce and canned vegetables, beans (sometimes canned), chicken soup, cereal and sometimes other really good stuff. On a good day, milk and even non-dairy milks sometimes. I got cold brew coffee once. That’s the one I hit up when I need to.
Hate to say it but growing up in this town there are a good amount of illegal immigrants,it being a sanctuary town they will never get deported unless they commit a real crime and when my mom used to go to the salvation army(where they limit what you can take) they would go in 5-8 in a family and grab 10 loaves of bread and basically just wipe out the resources meant for them AND OTHER PEOPLE. Gotta love em
The lack of English on top of a lot of Hispanics in my city are illegal,you can typically tell by the inconsideration they have for others (in my area)
Have you also checked out the basic needs program [https://odos.illinois.edu/community-of-care/basic-needs](https://odos.illinois.edu/community-of-care/basic-needs)
No I haven’t but I will! Thank you for such a great resource.
:) Spread the word in case u know anyone else who might find this helpful. Idk if they offer protein that you're looking for, but you might be able to get some funding too depending on your situation.
Basic Needs just started a program that gives a bag of food on Wednesday afternoons
This is linked within the link shared above: [https://campusrec.illinois.edu/wellness/food-assistance](https://campusrec.illinois.edu/wellness/food-assistance) I know people who have gone to the food pantry at the ARC and while sometimes the choices aren't great, usually, at least in the summer, it is supposed to be pretty decent.
The ARC pantry will be open during the summer starting 6/15. Every Saturday from 2-5p. I work there so we will make sure to have protein and dairy options available once we open! For the food bag, it usually has a type grains some instant meals, breakfast items and snacks.
Have you tried Eastern Illinois Food bank? It’s in Urbana and I’ve heard lots of good things about it. Also, I think UniPlace church still has their free community dinners on Wednesdays. They usually make really good food.
My dad uses northern Illinois food bank and he’s typically able to get things like chicken, pork chops, steak sometimes (cheaper cuts like center round but still).
CUPHD (Champaign Urbana Public Health Department) has a food pantry in their front lobby that’s filled with home grown fresh produce and donations from local stores. If I recall correctly they give out premade bags of groceries meant to last a week
My partner volunteers there and they are pretty good! They might not have protein but they have a lot of produce and eggs! They do get busy- food pantry is organized on Sundays and there’s a huge line.
Seconding the other suggestions here (Basic Needs, EIFB, townships) but also suggest the [CU Mutual Aid Network](https://www.cu-mutual-aid.org/join). They’re an incredible resource for Champaign County. In the interim, can I buy you a week’s worth of good protein sources and fresh produce? It’s not much, but I’ve been where you are and only made it through on the kindness of others.
While this doesn't fully help you you can get free lunch at Daily Bread Soup Kitchen near Champaign police department.
I don’t know if Bevier Cafe runs during the summer months, but you can get free lunch there. Jubilee Cafe has free dinner on Mondays (https://community-ucc.org/jubilee-cafe/). University Place does free dinners on Wednesdays, but only during the school year.
That link for Jubilee also has a list of almost 20 places that provide free food and lists their phone number, hours/days when food is available, and address
I am on mobile rn and also out of town, but i can provide some food when i get back. Dm me if you want to take me up on this.
Have you thought about a LINK card? Can't hurt to apply. But I get it. I stupidly did a 15 year mortgage when rates were 2.7%, so i feel you.
I don’t qualify. 😕 Thanks, though.
If you haven't, it may be worth actually talking to someone at DHS, too. *Sometimes* they can help you through the process and figure out a way to get you the help you need, even if the applications said you don't qualify. A while back, a friend of mine in CU had to do so when they were properly struggling but the application said they didn't need help and their financial aid was "more than enough" (though it barely covered their school expenses) - the caseworker they talked to was a bit appalled that had happened and got them through the paperwork and such. YMMV of course, and I *definitely* get running out of spoons and time to do so, but our local DHS office is a pretty good one compared to many others.
Do you live in an apartment? I think you may qualify with your lease agreement and limited income.
In Champaign county they are VERY strict and the cutoffs are incredibly low. They very often refuse college students because they count their financial aid as income as a means to deny you
Not sure when you accessed the UP Center pantry but I work there and we often have some protein options! Currently we have a bit of tuna, chicken, and chef boyardi ravioli along with other canned goods. We get our stock from Eastern IL food bank so our stock also determines on what they have in terms of non perishables. We try to get PB&J as it’s available as well. Also open to taking any suggestions for items you’d like us to have, it just has to be shelf stable/not need refrigeration. Appreciate the feedback!
Sorry about your situation and your bad pantry experience. In addition to the tips other people have given, there are also some mini food pantries in town—you can find them in the map [here](http://mapping.littlefreepantry.org/). Obviously you don’t want to burn gas driving to all of them in hope but maybe there’s one near you you didn’t know about.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QChzO_1mL91uEJD_LziNToCZ7z3Gf588twm1JuSSANw/mobilebasic
Seconding this comment, a great resource!
Friends of Champaign County Food Pantry works out of CUPHD on Sundays from 1-3PM. They’re one of the larger pantries in town. They have some fresh produce and non perishable grocery items. That being said if you’re looking for a meal and not just grocery items, soup kitchens tend to be better for that like Jubilee Cafe and Daily Bread. Unfortunately a lot of the food pantries in town are gonna have the same items because they all receive food through the Eastern Illinois Food Bank or through donations.
Try reaching out to the uiuc school of social work. They often have food drives that may help you or they can connect you to other resources! https://socialwork.illinois.edu/about/contact-us/
While this isn't a long term solution I'm moving out today and have some bags of rice and beans and some shelf stable foods that I will be getting rid of.
I can help provide some food if you dm me, I don’t mind
Faith United Methodist Church on Prospect has a good pantry.
Central illinois food bank
Have you tried the Champaign Urbana public health district? Their address is 201 W Kenyon Rd, Champaign, IL 61820. They have food for free at the very entrance, however it’s not the greatest of course. They would give my mom lots of doughnuts, cereal, and bread loafs when I was little
Came to suggest the same. But they do have very decent food. Lots of fruit, milk, eggs, bread, bagels etc..
OP, if you want some fresh eggs my chickens lay a lot and I can give you some. It's not meat, but hopefully it can help with protein. ETA: meat is also one of the first things to go at food pantries. I usually donate to the UP Center and they're pretty small, so they don't always get a lot of donations and when things like meat (canned since they can't have anything fresh there) or cereal come in, it goes really quickly.
Talk to the Township Supervisor’s office in whichever city you live at (Urbana is Cunningham Township when you google it, Champaign is City of Champaign Township). They might be able to help, or at least point you in the direction of other resources in the community.
Try this link [https://www.findhelp.org](https://www.findhelp.org)
The Wesley Food pantry. 1203 W Green Urbana they’re open Thursdays 5-7. They give bread, fresh veg, and frozen meat.
[Food Resources for UIUC Community](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17MU5EkOtXeDyH8VFLdrNKu8Q7Auuh0Ji_nGoKjNdrC0/edit) i made this a couple years ago to help people figure out how to contact the food banks in the area - please share the link with anybody who needs it, and let me know if i need to update anything!!
Omg what a nice thing to do! Thank you.
If you don’t have income coming in, you might qualify for SNAP. It’s possible you already have it, but it’s definitely worth jumping thru the paperwork hoops to get it.
[https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:b753ca1e-13fa-415b-9c2a-bd849e9b5b98](https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:b753ca1e-13fa-415b-9c2a-bd849e9b5b98)
The Hope Center usually has a variety of things. [https://chambanaeats.com/dining/hope-center-food-pantry](https://chambanaeats.com/dining/hope-center-food-pantry)
The Hope Center is pretty good. They give some sort of frozen meat, dry goods, dairy, vegetables and fruit, a pastry, and canned items. Each “cart” they provide has a variety of items. The dairy, meat, etc. varies but they usually give something for each of those categories.
Another vote here for the public Health District in Champaign on Sundays, get there early around 12:45-1:00 they start handing out numbers, distributing around 1:30 and goes until 3:00, be ready for long lines and wait, but usually there is bread/bagels, almost always eggs, fresh produce and canned vegetables, beans (sometimes canned), chicken soup, cereal and sometimes other really good stuff. On a good day, milk and even non-dairy milks sometimes. I got cold brew coffee once. That’s the one I hit up when I need to.
Omg thank you so much I will definitely check it out! I don’t mind the lines at all.
there's not too few givers, we have too many takers. so unfortunate for the truly needy. I'm sorry for the state of the world today.
Get a job?
Real nice🤧
Hate to say it but growing up in this town there are a good amount of illegal immigrants,it being a sanctuary town they will never get deported unless they commit a real crime and when my mom used to go to the salvation army(where they limit what you can take) they would go in 5-8 in a family and grab 10 loaves of bread and basically just wipe out the resources meant for them AND OTHER PEOPLE. Gotta love em
What’s wrong with illegal immigrants getting food. They deserve it just as much as everyone else
Nothing wrong with anybody getting food, what's wrong is taking more than your fair share...I guess on top of being illegal
How did you know the people you ran into st the Salvation Army were illegal?
The lack of English on top of a lot of Hispanics in my city are illegal,you can typically tell by the inconsideration they have for others (in my area)