NPFC, founded in 1998, is an extension of the pantry program initiated by the North Park Covenant Church in 1970. In 1985, we joined the Greater Chicago Food Depository as a commodity distributor. In May 2005, NPFC moved to a store-front space on Foster Avenue, west of Kimball Avenue, in Chicago. Our goal was to make our services more accessible to the families we serve, and to be more visible in the community so that more people in need would be aware of our services.
North Park Friendship Center Board of Directors
Mr. Ted Helwig, Chair
Partner, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
Mr. Les Carlstrom, Treasurer
Director of Finance, North Park University
Mr. Mel Soderstrom, Secretary
Major Gift Officer, North Park University
Mr. Ryan T. Johnson
Project Manager, Financial Development, YMCA of the USA
Mr. David Kallen-Youngberg
Manager, Finance, Pepsi Co.
Rev. Ruthanne Werner
Retired Chaplain, Swedish Covenant Hospital
Ms. Michele Yarbrough
Administrative Assistant, St. Paul of the Cross
Ms. Sarah Zimmerman
Development Officer, Illinois Institute of Technology
Ms. Joanne R. Ekberg, MSW
Executive Director, North Park Friendship Center
Mr. Ted Helwig, Chair
Partner, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
Mr. Les Carlstrom, Treasurer
Director of Finance, North Park University
Mr. Mel Soderstrom, Secretary
Major Gift Officer, North Park University
Mr. Ryan T. Johnson
Project Manager, Financial Development, YMCA of the USA
Mr. David Kallen-Youngberg
Manager, Finance, Pepsi Co.
Rev. Ruthanne Werner
Retired Chaplain, Swedish Covenant Hospital
Ms. Michele Yarbrough
Administrative Assistant, St. Paul of the Cross
Ms. Sarah Zimmerman
Development Officer, Illinois Institute of Technology
Ms. Joanne R. Ekberg, MSW
Executive Director, North Park Friendship Center
NPFC regularly serves approximately 2000 people per month. In one of Chicago's most ethnically-diverse neighborhoods, our families come from 22 countries and speak over ten languages. The people we serve come from Russian, Middle Eastern, Vietnamese, Hispanic, and African backgrounds. Many are refugees who came to the United States with only what they could carry.
We rely on the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD) which provides food for Chicago-area food pantries at greatly discounted costs. Volunteers work at GCFD on behalf of the NPFC to reduce the cost per pound of food we purchase. We actively participate in GCFD's annual walk-a-thon, raising both cash and "bankable points" which help lower our food costs further.