Gethsemane Church of God and Christ food pantry serves Englewood - FOX 35 News Orlando

Greater Chicago Food Depository's special program One City One Food Drive is in effect through the month of December. FOX 32 News partnered with them to spread the word.

There are food drop-off locations all over the city, and a $1 donation provides for three meals.

The food depository's loading and receiving dock located near 42nd and Pulaski is massive, filled from floor to ceiling with food. The depository works with about 400 agencies, food pantries and kitchens around the city.

Gethsemane Church of God and Christ in Chicago's Englewood community is a food pantry and church run by Reverend Dion and Debra McCarthy, which works directly with Greater Chicago.

Hundreds of people line up to get food at Gethsemane to get what they need, from fresh food to blood pressure checks.

"We are here because our community is considered a desert area. We don't have a lot of food coming into this area, so our pantry offers bags of groceries to these families," Debra said. "They are in dire need of food. They use us as a main way to make ends meet, because a lot of times they don't have enough to put on the table. They need the right kind of food, like fresh fruits and vegetables."

"If we sold 200 people or better," Reverend Dion said, "one person actually represents a family of five to ten people."

Food pantry customer Mattie Porter said if the community didn't have Gethsemane, they don't know what they'd do.

"It would be very hard for me to manage," Porter said.

Porter even invited me over for dinner, anytime, to teach me how to cook – provided I get there in time.

So as they go forth from this little slice of Chicago, they leave with nourishment for the body and the soul – and that's a recipe that comes from the heart!