PEKIN, Ill. (WMBD) — Volunteers in bright orange tees offer food to those who seek it.
The drive-up food pantry, through St. Vincent DePaul in Pekin, works to ensure nutritious perishable and nonperishable foods are available.
“We average almost 1000 families a month, and right now, with the way the economy is, and inflation, a lot of these folks don’t have the money to buy food so they come here to get food,” said the President of St. Vicent DePaul Pekin Carl Powell.
Carl Powell, who’s part of the food bank’s leadership said, they’re open multiple times a week to ensure opportunities exist.
“We’re open Monday, Wednesday, Friday. 8:30-11a,” said Powell. “We’re closed on holidays. They can come back once a week and we usually give them the basics. We give them meat, and canned goods, cereal, pasta or beans of some type.”
He said feeding and supporting families like they do wouldn’t be possible without volunteers. Powell said combating food insecurity is tougher now for some families while they navigate inflation.
“I think it’s just people don’t have the money to buy food now,” said Powell. “With all the costs of inflation and everything. Gas prices are so high.”
The food pantry follows federal requirements to qualify for assistance.
It’s located at 706 Court Street in the city.
