©2011 Galesburg Broadcasting Co.
| Community Generosity By the Can |
The Galesburg community isn't letting a little thing like a recession deter them from helping their friends and neighbors in need.
The first of two weekends of the annual Community Food Drive sponsored by WGIL-parent company Galesburg Broadcasting Company was a huge success -- that is, judging by the shelves of the FISH Food Pantry, where food collected at three Galesburg grocery stores went, and by the shelves of the food pantry at the Abingdon United Methodist Church, where food collected at Abingdon's HiLo store went.
FISH vice president Bob Robinson tells WGIL it's a good thing so much food was collected, because so much more is needed.
"We serve about 1,400 people a month," Robinson said. "That's about 50 percent more than we served last year at the same time. We expected an increase because we started serving more often. We used to serve only every 60 days; now we serve every 30 days, which makes the food go faster."
Meantime, Abingdon Food Pantry director Jan Simpson tells WGIL her food pantry, open once a week, is going through much the same thing, with almost 300 people served there a month.
"Our cupboards will be full one week," Simpson said. "By the end of the day (Tuesday every week), we look at it, and we think 'where did it all go, and where are we going to get the next load?'"
And that's likely the case at other food pantries around the area as well, with one in Knoxville, one at the Jamieson Center in Monmouth, and others -- all of which are relying on the public now more than ever.
The next Galesburg Broadcasting Community Food Drive is Saturday, December 5, in Galesburg again benefitting FISH, and at County Market in Monmouth, benefiting the Jamieson Center."
(Bob Robinson, FISH vice president, packs boxes with goods donated at the HyVee on East Main Street Saturday during the Community Food Drive.)
(WGIL's Rick Heath accepts a donation outside the East Main HyVee Saturday.)
(This food was donated to the Abingdon Food Pantry Saturday during the Community Food Drive. WGIL News story and Photos by Will Stevenson.) |
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| 11 14 09 by Newsroom |
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