In 1979, using donated warehouse space at Chicago's South Water Market and a start-up grant from Chicago's Department of Human Services, five volunteers created the Food Depository. During its first year of operation, the Food Depository distributed 471,000 pounds of food to 85 agencies. For more than 30 years, through the generous support of individuals, corporations and foundations the Food Depository has grown exponentially in an effort to meet the hunger relief needs of the community. Today, the Food Depository distributes 66 million pounds of quality food to more than 678,000 individuals annually through its member network of 650 community-based food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, transitional and elderly housing agencies, and youth programs. The Food Depository also operates innovative programs to increase the distribution of highly nutritious food, support vulnerable populations like children and older adults, and fight poverty, the root cause of hunger. Programs include: Kids Cafe, Nourish for Knowledge, Chicago's Community Kitchens, Food Rescue, Produce People Share, Pantry University, Public Policy, SNAP Outreach, the Older Adult Program and Healthy Kids Markets. A proud and active member of Feeding America, the nation's food bank network, and a member of the state association, Feeding Illinois, the Food Depository has won awards for both its operations and programs. Located on Chicago's southwest side, the Food Depository serves as a model for food banks regionally and nationwide.

The Greater Chicago Food Depository is a not-for-profit organization that distributes food to those in need. As Chicagos food bank, the mission of the Food Depository is "providing food for hungry people while striving to end hunger in our community." The primary goal of the Food Depository is to meet the emergency and supplemental food needs of families and individuals in Cook County.

For over 30 years, the Food Depository has successfully created and sustained a variety of programs to enhance its operations, address the root causes of hunger and address emerging hunger relief needs. Programs include: Chicago's Community Kitchens - a workforce development program, which trains underemployed and unemployed individuals for culinary careers. Food Rescue - partnerships with local restaurants, caterers and grocery stores to collect highly perishable and prepared foods for delivery to Food Depository member agencies. Kids Cafe - provides children from low-income families with a nutritious after school meal and nutrition education at community-based programs. Nourish for Knowledge - provides children with a weekly take-home bag, full of nutritious, kid-friendly, food and three pieces of fresh fruit, so they may have sustenance over the weekend when school meals are not available. Pantry University - capacity-building education and training for current and prospective member agencies. Produce People Share - delivery of hundreds of thousands of pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables weekly through warehouse orders, the Agency Mart, direct deliveries by volunteer-driven cargo vans, and the Producemobiles, which operate like traveling farmer's markets and allow residents to choose fresh produce through a farmer's market-like setup. Public Policy - education and advocacy efforts to contextualize hunger and the local impact of its hunger relief efforts for elected officials and the public. SNAP Outreach - application assistance to clients and member agencies to increase access to the SNAP program. Older Adult Program - distribution of heat-and-serve meals, shelf-stable food boxes and fresh produce to low-income older adults. Healthy Kids Markets - school-based food pantries designed to offer families with children access to nutritious food.