DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - In December, the Good Samaritan Inn asked community members for help, facing the possibility of shutting down.
Just a couple of months later, the Good Sam is more than halfway to its goal of $410,000. Right now, the organization has raised $245,000.
The need for extra money is because more people than ever are coming to the Good Sam for a free meal.
"We are serving now, on average, over 75,000 meals annually," Tanya Melendez, the Good Sam's executive director, told WAND News. "Prior to 2024, that number was right around 50 to 55,000."
The Inn is not state or federally funded, so it relies on community generosity.
"I cannot say thank you enough to the community for all the support they have provided," Melendez said.
The organization still need $165,000 in donations by the end of June.
You can donate here.
If you cannot donate monetarily, the Good Sam is always looking for more volunteers.
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