When people picture The Ark’s food pantry, many think first of the bustling West Rogers Park location. But just north of the city, The Ark’s Northbrook pantry plays an equally essential role, ensuring that Jewish households across the northern and northwest suburbs can access the same care, dignity, and support. 

Rhonda Levy has been part of that story from the very beginning. Rhonda helped open the Northbrook location more than a decade ago in response to a simple but critical reality: the Jewish population was moving north and west, and economic need in the northern suburbs was growing. For many clients, traveling into the city was no longer feasible. Opening a Northbrook pantry removed a barrier and allowed The Ark to meet people where they are. 

Serving Diverse Needs Across Suburbs

While the Northbrook pantry looks different from West Rogers Park, the experience is intentionally the same. Clients receive the same inventory, the same services, and the same respect. As Rhonda often says, there is no “other” Ark. There is just one Ark, serving one community across multiple locations. 

The Northbrook pantry serves individuals and families from a wide range of backgrounds and towns, including Highland Park, Glencoe, Batavia, Waukegan, and even farther north and west. Some clients are navigating health challenges, job loss, divorce, or sudden financial instability. Others are immigrants or older adults living on fixed incomes. Need does not follow geography, and affluence does not make people immune to hardship. 

As Rhonda explains, “We often have clients come in here who never imagined they’d need help, and that first step is really hard. Our job is to meet them with compassion, make them feel comfortable, and make sure they leave here with the help they need.” 

Compassion, Community, and Care

What makes the Northbrook pantry feel especially personal is its scale. With a small staff and a deeply committed group of volunteers, everyone pitches in. Volunteers greet clients at the door, help load pantry packages into cars, and often become the familiar faces clients see most regularly. Many have been volunteering weekly for years, not out of obligation, but because they believe deeply in the work and the people it serves. 

That commitment extends beyond the pantry walls. Delivery volunteers ensure that clients who are homebound or lack transportation still receive food, sometimes driving long distances in all types of weather. Their reliability makes certain that no one is left without support simply because they cannot make the trip themselves. 

Continuing to Meet the Need

Each month, the Northbrook pantry fulfills hundreds of orders. That volume reflects both the scale of need and the trust clients place in The Ark. It also speaks to a community that consistently steps up, with support from individuals, schools, businesses, and partners helping keep shelves stocked and services strong, especially during moments of crisis. 

Looking ahead, Rhonda sees continued growth, not just in numbers, but in awareness. The Northbrook pantry may be smaller than its West Rogers Park counterpart, but its impact is no less profound. It stands as a reminder that The Ark is one organization, one mission, and one community, reaching farther so that more people can find support when they need it most. 

If you want to get involved, learn how you can volunteer or check out Pack the Pantry to explore ways to contribute. You can donate dollars, purchase items from our wish list, or drop off pantry staples to help Ark clients have access to food and essentials.