Feed the Love: Help Us Serve 10,000 Free Meals This Summer

Feed the Love: Help Us Serve 10,000 Free Meals This Summer video thumbnail, 1 of 3Feed the Love: Help Us Serve 10,000 Free Meals This Summer video thumbnail, 1 of 3

Unity in the Community brings 10,000 free meals and summer joy to local families

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8 donors
Fundraiser’s main image
0% complete

$1,260 raised of $10K

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Feed the Love: Help Us Serve 10,000 Free Meals This Summer

Feed the Love: Help Us Serve 10,000 Free Meals This Summer

0% complete

$1,260 raised of $10K

8 donations
Tax deductible
A hot dog. A cold lemonade. A bounce house full of laughing kids.

These are simple things. But for a family stretching every dollar, a completely free, fun, and welcoming community event can feel like a miracle. That’s what we do. We host the “Unity in the Community” tour—a mobile event that travels from location to location, bringing free food, bounce houses, games, prizes, resources, and staff directly to families. Other organizations host us or we host ourselves, and we bring everything.

This isn’t just about hunger. It’s about the communal magic that happens when you share a meal. It’s a mom who doesn’t have to cook after a long shift. A kid who gets to just be a kid. Neighbors sitting together, laughing over nachos. That connection is what we serve.

We Already Make This Happen

We personally fund this entire operation through our multiple funding efforts. The food, the bounce houses, the prizes, the staff—it’s all covered. We do this because we believe in it deeply, and we will be out there this summer serving families no matter what.

But here's the reality: about 1000 people show up to each of our events. Right now, our budget covers food for a portion of that crowd. We never turn anyone away, but we stretch supplies thin and need to buy more that same day. That's where your help comes in.

Why Your Help Multiplies Everything

We already buy and prepare all the food ourselves. Your donation doesn't replace what we do—it expands it. Because we purchase in bulk, every dollar stretches incredibly far. A small gift quite literally feeds an entire family.

$10 – Feeds a family of four.
$25– Provides 50 more hot dog meals.
$50 – Stocks enough nachos for 100 extra people.
$100 – Covers popcorn, cotton candy, and drinks for 200 more attendees.

Our $10,000 goal means we can feed every single person who walks through our gate this summer. That's roughly 5,000 additional meals across our events, ensuring no family leaves without a full belly and a full heart. Every single meal is served with dignity, no questions asked, because a shared meal is a universal human experience.

The Bottom Line

We’re going to be out there this summer with or without this campaign. The bounce houses will be up. The games will be running. The staff will be ready. But with your help, we can say “yes” to more host organizations, more neighborhoods, and more families. You’re not saving us—you’re joining us. And together, we can feed a lot more people.

Thank you for being part of this. Let’s make this summer unforgettable.
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Organizer

Profile photo of Rachel Chenier
Rachel Chenier
Organizer
Waukegan, IL
Family First Center of Lake County
Beneficiary

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