CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) — The Salvation Army of Champaign County has called on the community for help to combat a growing hunger crisis.
The "Fill the Truck" food drive was on Monday at the Salvation Army Red Shield Center on North Market Street. The organization said its goal is to collect enough shelf-stable goods to restock empty food pantry shelves and meet the surging demand that spikes every summer.
“We want to try and get great food into the bellies of great people,” said Captain Kenyon R. Sivels with The Salvation Army. “We literally serve hundreds of people a day, and this summer, the numbers are peaking even more.”
Sivels said food insecurity tends to worsen in the summer when children are out of school and families lose access to school-provided meals. Add rising utility costs, and many households are forced to make difficult choices.
“We don’t want someone to have to choose between putting food on the table, or paying their rent, or keeping the AC on,” Sivels said.
In recent weeks, up to 500 people per day have turned to the organization’s food pantry for help. Sivels said the organization served 75,000 people in 2023 across all of its services. That number jumped to 90,000 this past year.
The food drive on Monday focused on collecting canned vegetables, fruits, meats, beans and other nonperishable items.
For those unable to attend Monday's event, donations are still welcome year-round. To learn more or contribute, visit The Salvation Army’s website or stop by the Red Shield Center at 2212 N. Market Street.
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