Pop-Up Pantries Make An Impact

Seniors attend a recent Pop-Up Pantry at Southeast Senior Center. Seniors often express to staff and volunteers how surprised they are by the quality and quantity of food available.

December 1, 2025 — Meals on Wheels Chicago responds to the needs of seniors every day. With cold weather coming, rising food cuts, and potential of reduced SNAP protections, seniors are increasingly worried about grumbling stomachs, bare pantry shelves, and empty plates.

In response to this growing need, Meals on Wheels Chicago jumped into action, quickly adding two emergency Pop-Up Produce Markets one at the Southeast Altas Senior Center and another at the Southwest Senior Center.

Each Pop-Up Produce Market had a variety of fresh, seasonal, and grocery-quality items for seniors to prepare for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday – or simply to fill their plates over the next week. Oftentimes, as the end of the month nears, seniors have spent their limited income on essentials, groceries, and prescription medication, their wallets not full enough buy nutritious fruits and veggies.

As the Nourish Chicago Pantry manager, I prepared for large crowd, ordering enough for 300 seniors in need of fresh, healthy and safe food at each Nourish Chicago event.  

And, seniors responded in a big way. Over three days, with Pop-Up Markets and the Nourish Chicago pantry, we passed out food to over one thousand seniors. Each senior has a story, written over decades of love, warm memories, hard work, and unexpected challenges. To launch the holiday giving season, I would like to share a story.

At a Pop-Up Produce Market last week, an older woman approached me with concern wrinkled on her forehead. I asked if I could assist her and she looked at me and said “I have never been here before, and I don’t know where to go.” Next to her was a gray cooler, one that I would use for parties or holiday gatherings. As we walked toward the multi-purpose room of the Senior Center, which was filled with tables of fresh fruits and vegetables, she pulled the empty cooler alongside her. “I wasn’t sure how much food to expect and can’t carry heavy bags so I brought a cooler. I hope that is okay!” I responded of course, and as we walked through the market, I helped her fill the cool her bananas, blueberries, cranberries, squash, spinach, apples, oranges and more. With every item she repeated herself, “wow this means so much. I get all of this food.” I assured her it was for her, and Meals on Wheels Chicago wants to help – wants to fill fridges this holiday season. As we picked up the last food item, her cooler was filled to the brim. She looked at me and said, “I didn’t think I would have enough food to celebrate Thanksgiving. Now I do.” Tears swelled in her eyes. “Thank you for sharing your holiday with us” I said in response. How grateful am I this season to have a job where everyday I get to thank seniors for trusting us to feed and nourish them. How thankful am I have to seniors share their life with me.

Emma Webb
Nourish Chicago Pantry Manager
Meals on Wheels Chicago