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    In His Hands Resource Center

    2024 - Present

  • As an awardee of the Illinois Equitable Access Towards Sustainable Systems (IL-EATS) program, Top Box Foods is building a stronger food system from the ground up. Now, funding cuts put it all at risk.

    Help us support farmers and families. DONATE 

A TASTE OF OUR ILLINOIS FARM PARTNERS

Better food. Stronger communities.

Through the LFPA program, Top Box Foods has built innovative partnerships and supply chain solutions that ensure fresh, locally grown food reaches those who need it most and create new economic opportunities for small and socially disadvantaged farmers.

To date, we have connected food from 19 local growers and producers to thousands of families across Illinois, fostering a more resilient and equitable food supply chain. By working directly with farmers and state agencies to plan and invest in upcoming growing seasons, we help small food businesses scale while feeding Chicago families.

Moreover, this initiative centers historically under-represented groups, including woman- and BIPOC-owned farmers, who produce everything from locally-raised animal products to grains, fruits, and vegetables. IL-EATS helps sustain their livelihoods while improving access to nutritious, culturally relevant foods for underserved communities.

Where food meets heart.

"One of the unique differences in the way that we approach the program with Top Box... is that it allows for this very surgical insertion of nutrient-dense food into some of the most needed, specific areas you can imagine [while] connecting farmers to the communities where their food is going."

- Jesse, Co-Owner Tulip Tree Gardens

A Critical Moment: Ensuring Farmers and Families Stay Supported

As we prepare for another season, we are closely collaborating with our farm partners who have invested in crops for this year’s IL-EATS purchase. However, federal funding cuts pose challenges to both farmers and families relying on this critical program. Without continued support, fresh, high-quality food will go to waste, and small farms will face financial strain.

We are actively exploring solutions to sustain this vital work, including launching a dedicated fundraising effort to purchase surplus crops and strengthen our local food economy. Your support is more crucial than ever to ensuring that Illinois farmers can continue their work while keeping fresh, healthy food accessible to all.

Stay tuned for updates, and thank you for being an essential part of this mission. Together, we are lifting up both ends of Illinois’ food system—supporting our farmers and feeding our communities.

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We make it easy for our partners to create food access, from facilitating food is medicine studies to meeting philanthropic goals of feeding hundreds of families, and more.

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