'Fill a Bag, Fill a Bus' May 2024 Recap: Thanks to all who donated!

Another successful 'Fill a Bag, Fill a Bus' food drive in the books thanks to you, Chicago!

Thursday, May 16, and Friday, May 17, CW26 and MeTV FM, along with our partners, showed up at the Jewel-Osco in Oak Lawn and River Forest with our CTA bus. Shoppers filled grocery bags with enough nonperishable food to fill our CTA bus with pounds and pounds of donations. You came, you donated, and we all CONQUERED!

Whether you made a monetary donation online or a food donation in person, thanks to YOU we were able to raise thousands of meals for the Greater Chicago Food Depository food pantries, Together We Cope and Beyond Hunger. These local food pantries serve those in the Chicagoland area, so your donation will go directly to our neighbors in need. 

Special thanks to our partners Jewel-Osco, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Butcher Boy Cooking Oils, and the CTA for your continued participation in this event as well as Together We Cope and Beyond Hunger for joining us on site to collect donations. 

Also, another huge shoutout to Steve Wilkos from The Steve Wilkos Show for joining us in Oak Lawn to build awareness and greet all his wonderful fans who came by to say hi. Your support and constant effort to make a difference in your hometown amazes us year after year.

Get a recap of the event with exclusive photos below!


Day 1: Jewel-Osco, 4650 W. 103rd St. Oak Lawn

- Members of partner pantry, Together We Cope

- Volunteers from the Greater Chicago Food Depository

- Steve Wilkos shooting on-air promos with George Blaise

- Steve Wilkos greeting fans and signing autographs

- Steve Wilkos and George Blaise checking out the donations in the CTA bus

- All of the donations from day 1 on the CTA bus

- End of the day group pics with the partners


Day 2: Jewel-Osco, 7525 W. Lake St. River Forest

- Members of partner pantry, Beyond Hunger

- Brandon Pope with Ashley from the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Michele from Beyond Hunger

- Representative from CareAdvocate giving a huge donation!

- End of the day group pics with the partners

- All of the donations from day 2 on the CTA bus

- Off goes the bus to drop off all the donations!