DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) – Organizers of the annual WSOY Community Food Drive said the need for support is greater than ever, as new numbers show nearly half of Macon County families are struggling financially.
About 29% of households in Macon County fall into the ALICE category—an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. These are working families who live paycheck to paycheck and often find themselves needing just a little extra help to get by.
“Those numbers have risen to 29% of our community, Macon County, are considered ALICE families,” said President of United Way of Decatur & Mid-Illinois Debbie Bogle. “While it’s not a bad thing, it is the definition of living paycheck to paycheck and sometimes needing that little bit extra to help you get through the month.”
Bogle said these families are not strangers; they are friends, neighbors and co-workers.
“They’re our neighbors, our friends, our family. And when we’re out talking about our families, we get a lot of people nodding, like they really recognize what this means, because again, a lot of us have been there," Bogle said.
The need is visible. Bogle told WAND News that some families, who have never been to a food pantry, have found themselves standing in line needing food.
“When you look at the people that are waiting in line to get this food, nobody wants to be standing in line,” Bogle said. “It is a real need. Nobody wants to be in that position. But sometimes they are.”
Statistics show that, in addition to the 29% living paycheck to paycheck, about 15% of Macon County residents live in poverty. Combined, that means 44% of the county’s population faces financial struggles that could leave them in need of food assistance.
The WSOY Community Food Drive works to meet those needs every year, reminding residents that their donations go directly toward helping families across the area. The WSOY Community Food Drive takes place Friday, Oct. 3, at the Airport Plaza Kroger in Decatur. Non-perishable items and monetary donations will be accepted from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. To donate, click here.
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