Greater Chicago Food Depository
Greater Chicago Food Depository is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located at 4100 West Ann Lurie Place in Chicago, Illinois (zip code 60632). Founded in 1979, it operates as Chicago's food bank—a nonprofit food distribution and training center that provides food for hungry people while working to end hunger in the community.
Key facts about Greater Chicago Food Depository
- EIN
- 36-2971864
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,350,413
- Grants made (2025)
- 119
- Average grant
- $11,348
- Median grant
- $3,760
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (31 of 118, 2025)
- Total assets
- $216,023,481
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Greater Chicago Food Depository funds
None of its 119 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Distribute to the Hungry" (119 grants).
Is Greater Chicago Food Depository open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 31 of 118 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $3K repeat.
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Greater Chicago Food Depository
- How to evaluate Greater Chicago Food Depository as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$216.0M
-2.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
-67.4% YoY
Grant Count
119
-44.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
-41.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Greater Chicago Food Depository makes a daily impact across Cook County through a network of more than 650 pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, mobile programs, children's programs, older adult programs, and innovative responses that address the root causes of hunger.
The organization distributes food—including shelf-stable items, fresh produce, dairy products, and meat—through multiple channels:
- Emergency Food Assistance: Distribution through a network of food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters
- Mobile Programs: The produce mobile distributes fresh fruit and vegetables in high-need communities, while the mobile pantry provides produce, protein, and shelf-stable groceries to hungry individuals on evenings and weekends
- Specialized Programs: Services for children, older adults, and food-insecure patients
- Job Training: Quality workforce and professional development programs in partnership with organizations across Cook County
- Benefits Assistance: Free help applying for SNAP/Link, Medicaid, and other benefits
- Nutrition Resources: Cooking videos, recipes, and preparation guidance
Grantmaking
Greater Chicago Food Depository provides emergency grants to partner organizations. In recent activity, the organization announced $1.3 million in emergency grants for partners.
Ready to take the next step with Greater Chicago Food Depository?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Greater Chicago Food Depository operates throughout Cook County, Illinois, serving the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metropolitan area.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of June 2024:
- Total Assets: $222,053,390
- Total Revenues: $275,870,292
- Total Expenses: $261,192,103
- Number of Employees: 368
Historical Financial Trend (Selected Years):
| Fiscal Year | Assets | Income | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 2019 | $128,231,670 | $160,871,770 | $136,086,288 |
| June 2020 | $172,857,634 | $229,128,584 | $205,874,058 |
| June 2021 | $217,303,991 | $329,752,403 | $281,823,952 |
| June 2022 | $197,112,141 | $219,531,696 | $180,413,430 |
| June 2023 | $205,203,000 | $298,038,952 | $197,032,572 |
| June 2024 | $222,053,390 | $314,061,299 | $275,870,292 |
The organization distributed 68 million pounds of food in its most recent reporting period, equivalent to 155,000 meals every day.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $216,023,481 | $222,053,390 | $205,203,000 |
| Revenue | $241,580,413 | $275,870,292 | $197,032,572 |
| Expenses | $243,247,145 | $261,192,103 | $200,244,560 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $11,446,413 | $1,954,306 | $-2,491,522 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
1,608 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include St Moses the Black Parish ($175,000), Care For Real ($134,948), Northern Illinois Food Bank ($55,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Moses the Black Parish | Distribute to the Hungry | $175,000 |
| Care For Real | Distribute to the Hungry | $134,948 |
| Northern Illinois Food Bank | Distribute to the Hungry | $55,000 |
| Chicago CRED | Distribute to the Hungry | $50,000 |
| Respond Now | Distribute to the Hungry | $45,349 |
| Circle Urban Ministries | Distribute to the Hungry | $36,695 |
| Tazewell County Health Department | Distribute to the Hungry | $32,500 |
| Breakthrough Urban Ministries Inc | Distribute to the Hungry | $30,290 |
| St Louis Area Foodbank | Distribute to the Hungry | $30,000 |
| BUILD Inc | Distribute to the Hungry | $30,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Vachon | Chair-Elect | 1 | — |
| John Jay Shannon MD | Chair | 1 | — |
| Alexandra Sims-Jones | Director | 1 | — |
| Brian Byrd | Director | 1 | — |
| Diane Schanzenbach | Director | 1 | — |
| Gil Quiniones | Director | 1 | — |
| Kelly Richmond Pope | Director | 1 | — |
| Lee Rosenberg | Director | 1 | — |
| Marc Paulhus | Immediate Past Chair | 1 | — |
| Mark Parrell | Director | 1 | — |
| Monica Moss | Director | 1 | — |
| Nasrin Thierer | Director | 1 | — |
| Ricardo Crumble | Director | 1 | — |
| Sam Nandi | Director | 1 | — |
| Sol Flores | Director | 1 | — |
| Steve Koch | Director | 1 | — |
| Waldo Johnson | Director | 1 | — |
| Jill Rahman | Chief Operating Officer | 40 | $341,509 |
| Katherine Maehr | Executive Director and CEO | 40 | $414,818 |
| Mary Pelican | VP of Finance | 40 | $284,552 |
| Jill Zimmerman | Chief Philanthropy Officer | 40 | $300,184 |
| Joni Duncan | VP of People and Culture | 40 | $285,495 |
| Sheila Creghin | VP of Operations | 40 | $291,454 |
| Amy Laboy | VP Programs & Community Partnership | 40 | $232,385 |
| Joseph Rodriguez | VP of Transportation, Warehousing an | 40 | $233,209 |
| Michael Seikel | Head of Technology & Transformation | 32 | $207,068 |
| Salma Nassar | VP of Research Evaluation & Business Analytics | 40 | $205,765 |
| Sophie Milam | Senior Policy Advisor | 40 | $206,131 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**November 2025**: Colonel Jennifer N. Pritzker's TAWANI Foundation awarded a $500,000 grant to GCFD in response to growing food insecurity
Colonel Jennifer N. Pritzker\u2019s TAWANI Foundation Responds to Growing\**2024**: Over $3 million awarded through the Chicago Region Food System Fund
Cook County provides $10 million in funds to Greater Chicago Food Depository**Recent**: Food Depository announced $1.3 million in emergency grants for partner organizations
Cook County provides $10 million in funds to Greater Chicago Food Depository**Recent**: Cook County provided $10 million in funding to the organization
Cook County provides $10 million in funds to Greater Chicago Food DepositorySubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Greater Chicago Food Depository fund?
Greater Chicago Food Depository makes a daily impact across Cook County through a network of more than 650 pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, mobile programs, children's programs, older adult programs, and innovative responses that address the root causes of hunger. The organization distributes food—including shelf-stable items, fresh produce, dairy products, and meat—through multiple channels: • **Emergency Food Assistance**: Distribution through a network of food pantries, soup kitchens, and …
How do I apply for a grant from Greater Chicago Food Depository?
Greater Chicago Food Depository provides emergency grants to partner organizations. In recent activity, the organization announced $1.3 million in emergency grants for partners. The organization also receives grants from external funders. Recent grant awards to GCFD include: • **$500,000 grant** from Colonel Jennifer N. Pritzker's TAWANI Foundation (November 2025) in response to growing food insecurity • **$10 million** in funding from Cook County • **$1.5 million** in funding to address immedi…
Where does Greater Chicago Food Depository make grants?
Greater Chicago Food Depository operates throughout Cook County, Illinois, serving the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metropolitan area.
What size grants does Greater Chicago Food Depository award?
In 2025, Greater Chicago Food Depository awarded 119 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $11K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Greater Chicago Food Depository's EIN?
Greater Chicago Food Depository's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-2971864. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.