St. Clare Center Food Pantry: A Community Resource Ready to Serve
August 04, 2025
Opened in 2008, the food pantry honors St. Clare of Assisi, an Italian saint known for her commitment to helping those in need. She was among St. Francis of Assisi's first disciples—the same St. Francis for whom HSHS St. Francis Hospital is named. The annual Feast Day for St. Clare is Aug. 11.
Food Pantry Manger Becky Gudgel said, “We believe in every person's right to adequate food and nourishment, and in treating everyone with dignity and respect. Through our client choice model—a best practice that lets people shop for food like they would at a grocery store—clients can select what they need, reducing waste and meeting their needs."
St. Clare Center Food Pantry is open to all residents of Montgomery and Macoupin counties. To receive assistance, individuals simply need to sign a form confirming they meet the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) income eligibility guidelines. The food pantry is a member of the Central Illinois Food Bank, a division of Feeding America. The pantry relies on food and grocery items donated by growers, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, and welcomes donations from community members.
Gudgel shared, “During the summer months, volunteers from the HSHS Community Garden on the campus of St. Francis Hospital work hard to provide fresh vegetables. For those area residents who have excess vegetables from their gardens, we greatly appreciate receiving these items to provide additional nutritional options to our clients. Additionally, toiletry items such as soaps and personal hygiene items, diapers and laundry detergent are often requested and typically not available to us from other sources.”
Paula Endress, St. Francis Hospital Philanthropy Program Manager, expressed her gratitude for those who support the food pantry’s operations.
“The food pantry is staffed by many volunteers. They are our lifeline – unpacking items, repacking larger bags into smaller portions and helping stock shelves. We are also grateful for the many St. Francis Hospital colleagues who choose to contribute to the pantry through payroll deduction on a regular basis,” she said. “We also receive generous assistance from businesses, individuals and community groups who join together to help support our food pantry, such as Terry Plummer of Plummer Funeral Home who graciously rents us our building space at a reduced cost. All these individuals and businesses make this ministry to our community possible.”
Food Pantry Hours:
Donations to the food pantry:
For more information about HSHS St. Francis Hospital, visit stfrancis-litchfield.org.
Food Pantry Manger Becky Gudgel said, “We believe in every person's right to adequate food and nourishment, and in treating everyone with dignity and respect. Through our client choice model—a best practice that lets people shop for food like they would at a grocery store—clients can select what they need, reducing waste and meeting their needs."
St. Clare Center Food Pantry is open to all residents of Montgomery and Macoupin counties. To receive assistance, individuals simply need to sign a form confirming they meet the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) income eligibility guidelines. The food pantry is a member of the Central Illinois Food Bank, a division of Feeding America. The pantry relies on food and grocery items donated by growers, manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, and welcomes donations from community members.
Gudgel shared, “During the summer months, volunteers from the HSHS Community Garden on the campus of St. Francis Hospital work hard to provide fresh vegetables. For those area residents who have excess vegetables from their gardens, we greatly appreciate receiving these items to provide additional nutritional options to our clients. Additionally, toiletry items such as soaps and personal hygiene items, diapers and laundry detergent are often requested and typically not available to us from other sources.”
Paula Endress, St. Francis Hospital Philanthropy Program Manager, expressed her gratitude for those who support the food pantry’s operations.
“The food pantry is staffed by many volunteers. They are our lifeline – unpacking items, repacking larger bags into smaller portions and helping stock shelves. We are also grateful for the many St. Francis Hospital colleagues who choose to contribute to the pantry through payroll deduction on a regular basis,” she said. “We also receive generous assistance from businesses, individuals and community groups who join together to help support our food pantry, such as Terry Plummer of Plummer Funeral Home who graciously rents us our building space at a reduced cost. All these individuals and businesses make this ministry to our community possible.”
Food Pantry Hours:
- Mondays – 10 a.m. to noon.
- Wednesdays – 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Thursdays – 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Donations to the food pantry:
- Items can be donated by contacting Becky Gudgel at 217-324-2800.
- Financial donations can be made by contacting Paula Endress at 217-324-8200 or online at hshs.org/st-francis/community/giving/donate-now, and selecting St. Clare Center Food Pantry in the designation.
For more information about HSHS St. Francis Hospital, visit stfrancis-litchfield.org.
Media Contact
Vicki Macklin
Communications & Public Relations Specialist