One of the least known government offices in the United States has some of the greatest potential to impact the lives of its constituents because of its proximity and scale. Township Governments are the closest to the people. The local office is the best place to go for resources instead of navigating the system individually.
The Avon Township Center serves several suburbs located North-West of Chicago, including all the Round Lakes, Graylakes, Hainesville, and Thirdlake. Over 63000 people, from a variety of backgrounds, call the region home. A Township Supervisor, Township Assessor, and four trustees are elected on a four year cycle.
Every township government is different, but share the responsibilities of general and emergency assistance, as well as road and property assessment. Ideally, the township government serves the people’s needs. Avon Township is an example of a government office that goes above and beyond to support its community with every resource available.
The Food Pantry is central to Avon Township’s efforts because food is the resource people who can benefit from support are most likely to seek out. The Northern Illinois Food Bank does not stock the Avon Township Food Pantry, so community support is essential. The community has kept the Food Pantry impressively stocked, especially through the SNAP crises that began in November. Amazon deliveries have been a game changer, facilitating many donations including a record 72 boxes in a single day.
Coolers allow the Avon Township Food pantry to offer meat and fresh produce, foods that are rare but in high demand at most food banks. The coolers are stocked by local farmers and Community Action Partners who also assist with drive through services.
Other foods that are in high demand adhere to dietary restrictions, or come in pop top cans so those without can openers can still access what’s inside.
Those who come to Avon Township for food are likely to benefit from other resources as well. The goal of the Center is to feed all the needs, so several complimentary programs are available. Income qualifying individuals can take up to five items a month from the Essentials Room, which contains basics like shampoo and personal care supplies. There are two diaper programs, one of which also requires beneficiaries to qualify based on income. Medical equipment is also available.
Clothing can be vital simply to boost self esteem, but also for job seekers who need to dress up for an interview. Community donations are sorted on site by volunteers to stock the New to Me Clothing rack.
The Library offers books that people can take home and keep. Children’s books obviously benefit their intended audiences, but they are not the only demographic who appreciate these donations. Language learners find them to be useful learning material as well.
Other programs that support community members in other ways also run through Avon Township. 4h programs from the Illinois University Extension and cooking classes kids to eat healthy and help them build independence. Events like Chick Fest also bring people into the Center.
Avon Township also serves its community by using its space to meet community needs. The Community room is used for activities like yoga, as well as a weather and emergency shelter. A stack of mattresses make it easy to convert the space into separate men’s and women’s shelters when the need arises. The space is also shared. The Assessor’s Office and the Health Department both use the same facility.
The community garden has provided a space for growing produce. The Round Lake Area Garden Club is in the process of installing a food forest.
A 50,000 dollar grant made it possible to invest in flood mitigation equipment that has already helped save family homes. The challenge now is finding a place to store it when it is not in use.
Like most Township Governments, Avon Township commands few resources of its own. The work of creating meaningful impact is all about partnerships. Though the Food Pantry is a program that brings the Center a lot of pride, a list of other food banks can be just as useful for beneficiaries.
Avon Township itself is the last resort when it comes to financial support, but can still help through partnerships with other programs. One example is the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which provides one time grants for energy bills to income qualified households. Information and application assistance are available at the Avon Township Center.
Programming is another offering made possible through partnerships. For example, Willow Houses is a grief support group that meets monthly.
Avon Township only has two staff members. Volunteers are essential to keep programs like the Food Pantry operational. Luckily, anyone can make a difference. There is no age limit; toddlers and seniors alike can help stock shelves. Shining Abilities, a non-profit serving adults with developmental disabilities, facilitates volunteer days with its members. People also volunteer individually.
As of April, over 2000 volunteer hours have been logged since January. It’s clear that people want to help. Some have struggled themselves and are ready to pay kindness forward. Some appreciate knowing that their generosity benefits their immediate community. In a time when it is so easy to forget, Avon Township and the volunteers that support its work are important reminders that most of us care about treating people with dignity and respect.
We can feed each other by caring for our environments. The Gardener’s Grimoire provides comprehensive gardening guides as well as local food, community gardening, farming, and stewardship profiles to build a network and shared body of knowledge. Use the collection to inform your gardening practice and research.
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