United Way of West Central Illinois, serving Warren, Knox, Henderson, and Mercer Counties, presented a $10,000 check to River Bend Food Bank to use for its Core Collective program, which serves local food pantries throughout the region.
The network of local hunger relief partners is already seeing a growing demand with more guests entering food pantry lines. Community support has never been more critical. The recent 43-day federal government shutdown and subsequent freeze of SNAP benefits during that shutdown caused a blow to food and cash reserves for food banks across the country as well as regionally. It also caused confusion and fear for SNAP recipients. Experts predict that this experience is a microcosm of what is expected when the full SNAP cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act rollout.
“United Way of Central Illinois’ $10,000 contribution to the Core Collective will provide an additional 50,000 meals and River Bend Food Bank’s strategic partnerships ensure the most efficient use of every dollar spent,” said Samantha Sancen, donor relations manager at River Bend Food Bank.
“We are happy to make this regional investment in responding to hunger,” said Jeannie Weber, executive director of United Way of West Central Illinois. She added that what their organization likes about this program is the fact that contributions made through the Core Collective are distributed proportionally as food credits, assuring that local food pantries are getting what they need. “We are working on a match for this donation now. And this will be only the first investment United Way of West Central Illinois will make to help local food pantries in our four-county service area.”
River Bend Food Bank knows that local partners are feeling an increase in need as both costs to them and demand from pantry guests continue to increase. Even with the amazing response communities have given to regional food pantries, it still is not enough. And organizations running food pantries do not have the capacity to fundraise effectively.
United Way of Central Illinois raises money for local nonprofits doing the work on the ground. Currently, there are 32 organizations serving Warren, Knox, Henderson, and Mercer counties supported by the organization. A donation goes further at United Way of West Central Illinois because administrative costs are supported by an endowment, given by Len G. Everett in the 1980s. Since 2018, this endowment has been administered by the Galesburg Community Foundation. United Way is also often able to leverage funds donated to secure more support.
“We have a significant purpose here,” said Jeannie Weber. “Our donors continue to trust us to extend funds to where they are most needed and leverage other funds to bring more to the nonprofits and programs we serve.” We applaud River Bend Food Bank and all of the local pantries/nutrition sites that partner with them.
Learn more about United Way of West Central Illinois at www.wcunitedway.org.
***Courtesy of Jeannie Weber, Executive Director of the United Way of West Central Illinois***
