Farm-Fresh Food. Local Impact.

Our Farm to Pantry initiative connects our Naperville farm’s just-harvested produce with local pantries to provide clean, nutritious produce for our neighbors who need it most.

The Need Is Growing. So Are We.

Food insecurity is rising — right here in our own backyard. Most pantry produce is close to spoiling, leaving a gap in access to the truly fresh, nutrient-rich foods we all deserve.

At the same time, The Conservation Foundation has the land, the farmers, and the heart to grow fresh food right here in Naperville. Our Farm to Pantry initiative connects our locally-grown, certified organic food with local need.

It’s the perfect match. Clean, healthy produce — grown in concert with nature — distributed directly to our neighbors who need it most.

Let’s close the fresh food gap. Let’s grow together.

Our Roots

We identified the need

Since our farm took root in 2002, we’ve been growing healthy, certified organic food for our community through our veggie subscription program, and donating the extras to a local food pantry partner. What we heard over and over was clear: fresh food isn’t just wanted — it’s urgently needed. We knew our farm could — and wanted to — do more, so the seed was planted for the Farm to Pantry initiative.

Planted the seed

Through sponsorships and grants from DuPage and Will Counties and corporate sponsors, we launched a program that expanded access to our fresh, organic produce to more pantry shelves — and then went a step further. By working directly with pantry leaders, we identify and grow culturally-relevant vegetables tailored to the people being served — increasing both dignity and the likelihood that the food will be taken home to create familiar, nourishing meals.

Harvest to feed

During our twenty-week harvest season, pantries receive weekly deliveries of just-harvested produce to nourish patrons. Harvests vary from week to week, starting off the season with fresh lettuce and crunchy carrots, then moving into summer favorites such as juicy tomatoes, flavorful onions, colorful sweet peppers, and hearty cabbage.

Hear from those closest to the work about why locally grown, culturally familiar food is a powerful tool for nourishing families and strengthening communities.

“As the largest food pantry in Illinois serving over 10,000 people each week, we are facing an unprecedented demand for food, and fresh produce is an area of critical need. The Conservation Foundation is an established and strong partner of Loaves & Fishes, and the growth of the Farm to Pantry initiative represents an opportunity to broaden our supply of fresh local produce in service of food insecure neighbors…”

-Megan Lynch, Loaves & Fishes