Lisa Bralts on
The 2006 Food For Families Drive
October 27, 2006
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My name is Lisa Bralts, and I’m the Marketing Director
of the Eastern Illinois Foodbank.
Operating out of Urbana, Illinois since 1983, the
Eastern Illinois Foodbank currently works with over 180
agencies and programs in its 14-county service area to
serve food-insecure individuals and households – people
whose ability to adequately feed themselves and/or their
families has been compromised by insufficient financial
or other resources.
It’s important to remember that the stereotypes we carry
with us regarding hunger in this country and in our area
– that people who are hungry are homeless, unemployed,
or somehow responsible for their plight – are just that:
stereotypes. 38% of the people served through our
agencies and programs are employed. 40% of the members
of households served by the Foodbank’s agencies and
programs are children. Many individuals and households
report having to choose between paying rent or mortgage,
paying for medicine, or paying for fuel and power - and
paying for food. These are our friends, neighbors,
classmates, or relatives.
Throughout the year, the Foodbank, with its agencies and
programs, serves over 31,000 people per month. Last
year, the Foodbank distributed 5 million pounds - 2,500
tons of food - throughout its 14-county service area,
continuing to advance against a need of nearly 10,000
tons, or twenty million pounds.
This fall marks the Eastern Illinois Foodbank’s 20th
Annual Food For Families Drive. Beginning in 1986, our
communities have provided food and raised money each
fall for Food For Families. The financial donations are
crucial: the Foodbank can acquire ten dollars’ worth of
food for every dollar donated. The food collected during
this drive goes directly to programs that serve
individuals and households in need in our area. This is
often food we cannot procure on the donated market, like
canned meats and fish, boxed meals, canned soups and
meals, canned fruits and vegetables, and other
non-perishable items. Local grocery stores, schools,
businesses, and places of worship conduct their own food
drives each fall for Food For Families – please contact
the Foodbank at 328-3663 or check our website at
www.eifoodbank.org for more information.
The 2006 Food For Families Drive will kick off at
Urbana’s Market at the Square on Saturday, October 28
from 9 AM until noon. This food and fund drive continues
throughout the community through Saturday, November 11.
The goal for this year’s event is to raise $60,000 in
funds and to collect 185,000 pounds of food – plan on
joining us on the 28th, non-perishable goods in hand,
and help the Foodbank mark twenty years of alleviating
hunger and nourishing stronger communities. |
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