Village presents donation to Helping Hands Pantry as agency prepares holiday distributions
November 04, 2025 | Machesney Park, Winnebago County, Illinois
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Clerk Chris Galetsis introduced Helping Hands Pantry and recognized its volunteer operations and recent increase in demand. Mayor Johnson presented the donation to Jerry Gibson at the Nov. 17 meeting. “It is my honor this evening to present to Jerry Gibson from the Helping Hands Pantry this donation which enables the pantry to serve so many of our residents in time of need,” Mayor Johnson said.
Gibson told the board the pantry had served “100 people right on the dot” at a recent pantry distribution and provided a full allotment of groceries plus a 12–14 pound turkey to each household. He said the pantry plans to distribute turkeys at every pantry during the month of November and will run a toy drive through Dec. 12 to benefit children in families who use the pantry. “With great community support and the great support from the village, we're able to do what we do,” Gibson said.
Communications introduced at the meeting noted Helping Hands has been operating in the community since 2003 and serves between 350 and 400 people per month; separately, the mayor's remarks referred to Helping Hands serving about 400 families a month. The meeting record does not reconcile whether that larger figure refers to individuals or family units; the exact count by household type was not specified in the transcript.
The board did not take a formal vote related to the toy drive or turkey distributions during the meeting; the pantry asked for and received the village's public recognition and a donation that the board presented at the meeting.
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