Divine Nine Fraternities and Sororities Unite to Fight Food Insecurity

Volunteers from historically Black Greek organizations pack over 16,000 pounds of bread for Chicago food pantries

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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In response to federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that are expected to leave hundreds of thousands of Illinois residents without food assistance, the Greater Chicago Food Depository hosted a volunteer event where members of the 'Divine Nine' fraternities and sororities packed over 16,000 pounds of bread for the organization's network of food pantries, soup kitchens, and meal programs.

Why it matters

With one in five households in Chicago experiencing food insecurity, the Divine Nine's volunteer efforts come at a critical time as the city braces for the impact of SNAP benefit reductions. The event highlights the fraternities and sororities' longstanding commitment to community service and their ability to mobilize their members to address pressing social issues.

The details

Around 100 volunteers from all nine historically African-American fraternities and sororities that make up the Divine Nine participated in the fourth annual Black History Month repack event. The volunteers, representing multiple generations, worked in teams to pack loaves of bread into cardboard boxes, with the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority claiming first place by repacking 2,676 pounds of bread. The Greater Chicago Food Depository is also working with state legislators to introduce bills that would analyze the impact of the SNAP changes and establish a temporary state-funded benefit program.

  • The repack event took place on Saturday, February 7, 2026.
  • The bread packed during the event will be distributed to food pantries throughout Cook County within a week.

The players

Greater Chicago Food Depository

A nonprofit organization that operates a network of more than 850 food pantries, soup kitchens, and meal programs in Cook County, Illinois.

Reginald Summerrise

President of the National Panhellenic Council of Chicago and a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

Juliana Stratton

Lieutenant Governor of Illinois and a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Camille Y. Lilly

Illinois State Representative and a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Danielle Perry

Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

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What they’re saying

“As the Divine Nine, we have been denied some things in our journey here in America, and that's why we came together. We came together to continue to bring equity and justice into our communities.”

— Camille Y. Lilly, Illinois State Representative, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (chicagotribune.com)

“For every meal we can provide in the emergency food system, SNAP provides nine. We cannot end hunger by just putting food at a pantry. We end hunger by focusing on policies that help people afford food.”

— Danielle Perry, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, Greater Chicago Food Depository (chicagotribune.com)

“History will remember how we showed up when they decided to try to eliminate the safety net as we know it.”

— Danielle Perry, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, Greater Chicago Food Depository (chicagotribune.com)

What’s next

The Greater Chicago Food Depository is working with state legislators to introduce two bills in the Illinois General Assembly. House Bill 5062 and Senate Bill 3276 would create a SNAP Response Working Group to analyze the impact and cost of the SNAP changes, while Senate Bill 3277 would establish the FRESH Program, a temporary state-funded benefit for households losing or seeing reductions in SNAP.

The takeaway

The Divine Nine's volunteer efforts at the repack event demonstrate the fraternities and sororities' longstanding commitment to community service and their ability to mobilize their members to address pressing social issues, such as food insecurity. As federal cuts to SNAP loom, the Divine Nine's support for the Greater Chicago Food Depository's advocacy efforts could play a crucial role in mitigating the impact on vulnerable communities.