St. Paul Episcopal Church
On April 20, during a snowstorm, we took time during National Volunteer Recognition Week to thank our food pantry volunteers. This year we created a new award to give out – the Partner Award. We selected Peoria Area Food Bank for this award for their efforts in 2020. For the first time in years, we started using PAFB services when the pandemic hit. And thanks to their help with a grant, we were able to get the shelving we needed for our pantry.
Thanks for all you do.
Sophia's Kitchen
One year ago, Sophia’s Kitchen did not open as usual. The COVID-19 pandemic stopped the world.
But hunger never ends. Hundreds of people relied on Sophia’s Kitchen for food every day. Throughout the shutdown, we filled our Little Free Pantry throughout the day so those who depend on us would still have something to eat. As soon as we were able, we began hosting food pantries. Gradually, we opened our doors again, with the help of brave volunteers, to serve those who need our help the most. Throughout all this turmoil, we knew we could count on the Peoria Area Food Bank to help us find enough food for everyone. We are so grateful for their support. We look forward to being able to fully reopen our dining room soon. It’s time to begin again.
Salvation Army Family Services
The Salvation Army Family Services operates a food pantry three days per week from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 pm. Their numbers have increased since the pandemic due to the high volume of people who has utilized their agency.
They have assisted families who would normally never walk through their doors. Their rental and utility assistance programs increased from an average of 31 cases per month to 114, which in turn brought more people to their food pantry.
This, of course, increased their pantry visits from an average of 124 cases per month to 193. The produce and dairy boxes received from the Peoria Area Food Bank was a wonderful addition to their food orders, especially during the summer months when their pantry runs low on food. Clients who were barely able to purchase food after balancing their budget during the pandemic were able to receive much larger staples to supply their needs.
Juggling family and work life is not easy for most but somehow Rotisha Shelton, head cook for the Salvation Army Family Services makes this look easy. She manages to keep up with the high demand and urgency of the job and make’s everything run smoothly. She is passionate and really puts her heart into her food.
The Salvation Army serves individuals residing in their shelters by providing warm meals prepared with love. This past year has overwhelmed us all. Sometimes the simplest of things can bring us comfort. “I can feel that the meals are made with love” said one individual. The Salvation Army Family Services makes a positive impact on the community by providing these meals to individuals who may not have had any other means of eating that day. They are feeding the soul. Some of the other projects that are made possible with the help of their partnership with Peoria Area Food Bank include feeding the residents at the Dream Center, Family shelter, daycares, and the Men’s shelter. Rotisha has been told since becoming involved with the men at the Men’s Shelter their behavior and attitude has shifted dramatically.
The Salvation Army immediately jumped in and offered their services during the UAW water emergency back in October 2020 in Pekin. They were able to feed the residents of the UAW Senior Citizens Center in Pekin. There were 230 residents and they all received three cooked meals a day from the Salvation Army during a time period when water was unusable. “These soothing meals remind me of my mother’s cooking who passed,” said one resident. “I haven’t had food this good in a long time,” said another. The Salvation Army would like to thank everyone that helped them make this possible. Those who bless others will be abundantly blessed themselves; those who help others are helped. Proverbs 11:25
Universalist Unitarian Church
In 2020 the Universalist Unitarian Church had as snack pack program in which they gave out little bags of individually wrapped snacks to over 200 Head Start kids every other week, spending approximately $1.00 per bag. When the COVID lockdown came they were forced to stop this program altogether because the church had to close, they were not supposed to gather, and the children were no longer in school. That is when one of their church members made them aware of the school down the street, informing them that the school children were at 89% of the poverty level and since the school was not in District 150, Peoria County’s largest school district, they were not eligible for a lot of programs. So last fall they made the decision to help the school as best they could. They went from buying snacks just for the student, to buying groceries for the entire family. At first, they shopped at Sam’s and Costco, spending a lot more of their Snack Pack money than they had ever spent before. It was obvious that they would not be able to continue to supply as much as they would like, but then the Peoria Area Food Bank stepped up and began handing out fresh food boxes, and the church was also able to order other good food as well from the food bank for the little or nothing! They found a way to pack up this food at the school with volunteers from their Snack Pack committee, all wearing masks and utilizing other COVID safety precautions. The school has found a way to get this food to the families and they are getting many thanks. The church is getting rave reviews from the school, and the volunteers involved are grateful for something to do to fill the days since their previous activities have been suspended. This has been a win/win situation for all. The school needed help and the congregation needed something worthwhile to do. “We couldn’t have done any of it without the generous help of the Peoria Area Food Bank. We have found the food bank employees to be kind and helpful, and most of all patient. We have been so grateful for their help and our families are so grateful for the extra food.” Bernie Humphrey, School Outreach Program of the Universalist Unitarian Church.