Sink Hunger With PAMCANI and Locals 93, 501 in February

Downers Grove, Jan. 28, 2009 –– Everyone is invited to help sink hunger in our community by contributing to the 2009 Food Collection Drive sponsored by the Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Authority of Northern Illinois (PAMCANI) – in collaboration with UA Plumbers Local 93, Volo, and UA Plumbers & Pipe Fitters Local 501, Aurora – to benefit the Northern Illinois Food Bank (NIFB) in DuPage, DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, Lake and McHenry Counties according to S. J. Peters, executive director of PAMCANI. “While food collection drives most often are held in the midst of the winter holiday season, we want to remind our community that the need to re-stock local food pantries stays high afterwards,” explained Peters.

“Current economic conditions have increased demand from the community as much as 30%,” said Shannon Thompson, promotions manager at NIFB.

Donations of canned goods and other non-perishable food items will be accepted at selected PAMCANI member locations and at the union offices throughout the six counties all through February – as will checks made out to the “Northern Illinois Food Bank.” All food and money donated will go to the NIFB. Drop off sites are listed below and at www.pamcani.org Donations are welcome from everyone in the community and especially from contractors’ and union members' staff, families, friends, suppliers and customers.

PAMCANI is comprised of nearly 400 union contractors and sustaining members who provide and maintain plumbing, heating and cooling systems for institutional, commercial, business and residential applications. Led by the PAMCANI Alliance (the contractors’ association), this non-profit trade organization invests over $3 million annually in the promotion, advancement, education and training of apprentices, journeymen and contractors, and actively works to raise awareness about water and energy conservation. Headquartered in Downers Grove, PAMCANI represents its contractor members in their relationships with unions having jurisdiction in DuPage, DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, Lake and McHenry Counties.

Northern Illinois Food Bank (NIFB) is a non-profit organization that provides food to all those in need through its 520 partner agencies in the following 13 counties - Boone, DuPage, DeKalb, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson, Will and Winnebago. NIFB acquires, gathers, handles and distributes donated, government and purchased food to more than 40,600 different people each week through local food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, youth activity centers and other food assistance sites. In 2008, NIFB distributed over 22.5 million pounds of food.

For more information about the February Food Drive, contact S.J. Peters at (630) 960-3970 or (800) 273-5966.