On Saturday, Aug. 20, Dundee Township residents are invited to come out and work up a sweat for the FISH Food Pantry.

That’s the day of the annual Go Fish 5K Family Walk and Run, which will benefit the Carpentersville-based food pantry.

“This is the event’s fifth year,” said coordinator Sarah Schiltz. “Last year, we raised $5,200 for the pantry. We’re hoping for more this year.”

The run begins at 8:30 a.m. in the Immanuel Lutheran Church’s parking lot, along Route 72 in East Dundee. Registration begins at 7 a.m.

Individual registration is $25; registration for families is $50. All the money collected goes to the FISH Food Pantry.

Church congregation members sponsor the run. They came up with the idea for it when they asked themselves what they could create to be a fun activity for families, Schiltz said.

“I suggested the run. Then we decided to make it a fundraiser for a local charity,” she said.

FISH volunteers are more than glad their organization was selected, said pantry President Mary Graziano.

It is held in summer, a busy time for pantry volunteers. Schools are not in session, and children cannot take advantage of free breakfast and lunch programs if they do not have transportation to the sites.

“It’s been busy this year, but we’re holding our own,” Graziano said. “On July 1, we’ve started allowing families to receive food twice a month instead of once a month. For some families, we are the only place they can turn to for (free) food.”

The once-a-month-rule will resume when school starts this month.

The 5K walk comes at a time when fewer monthly food drives are held. Local schools conduct many of the drives. When school is recessed for summer, the drives are suspended until students return to class in August.

“The Go Fish Run really helps us out at a time when we need it,” Graziano said. “We’re getting help from local gardeners who bring in their peppers, zucchini, cucumbers and tomatoes. We would be lost without them, but the run helps us with the money we need.”

The pantry is housed in the Meadowdale Shopping Center. It provides food for residents in Carpentersville, East and West Dundee, and Sleepy Hollow who cannot afford to buy it.

Besides food donations, volunteers need money to pay for the utilities the pantry uses and for food, such as milk and cheese, it receives from the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

“It also gives out toiletries, like toothpaste and toothbrushes” Schiltz said. “We’re asking all runners who register to bring toiletries to the race.”

After the run, families are invited to enjoy a pancake breakfast at the church.

The pantry is open from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 6-8 p.m. Wednesday.

For details about the Go Fish 5K Run, call the church at (847) 428-4477 or visit immanuel-ed.org /. Online registration is available.