A group of young volunteers is turning pickleball into a fundraiser for one of Woodridge's busiest food pantries.

The West Suburban Community Pantry's Junior Board will host a pickleball tournament on Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Hobson Corner Park, 2910 Hobson Road, Woodridge. Registration costs $40 per two-person team, and only 10 spots are available.

All proceeds go to the pantry, which serves 1,000 families per week across DuPage and Will counties. In fiscal year 2025, the organization distributed 3.9 million pounds of food, the equivalent of 3.2 million meals, according to its website.

The tournament is open to players 16 and older at any skill level. The pantry's event page describes it as welcoming both "seasoned players" and those "just looking for a friendly competition." The winning team takes home two WSCP t-shirts.

Youth leaders behind the event

The Junior Board is the pantry's youth civic engagement arm, organizing its own fundraisers and community drives throughout the year. The group also ran a school supply drive in late July and early August, collecting backpacks at drop-off sites including the Woodridge Public Library.

A May 27 Daily Herald feature highlighted student volunteers at the pantry, including Peyton Szydlowski, an incoming senior at Downers Grove North High School. "People go through different things, and I've learned that when someone is in a struggle, there are people who can help," Szydlowski told the Daily Herald in May.

The pantry, founded in 1992 and headquartered at 6809 Hobson Valley Drive in Woodridge, provides more than food. Its support services include utility assistance, nutrition education and wellness programs. One in 10 people in the surrounding community needs those resources, according to the organization.

How to register

Teams can sign up at wscpantry.org. With only 10 team slots, the pantry encourages early registration. No specific deadline has been announced; spots fill on a first-come, first-served basis.