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Midwest Food Bank getting busier in times of need
By Mary Ann Ford
mford@pantagraph.com
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BLOOMINGTON — One week each month, about 250 food pantries in McLean County get supplies from Midwest Food Bank. One day each month, schools — including District 87, Unit 5 and Cornerstone Christian Academy — get food for their breakfast, snack and rewards programs.

This summer, the food bank provided food to several summer camps serving children from families in need.

“We do what we can to help support the camps so their funding can go toward activities at the camp,” said Steve McCane, the food bank’s director of operations.

All told, Midwest Food Bank helps feed more than 100,000 people in the McLean County area. Another 30,000 are fed through Midwest’s food banks in Peoria and Indianapolis. McCane said studies show the supplies food banks receive from Midwest Food Bank account for more than 50 percent of what they distribute to people in need.

While most of the items Midwest Food Bank distributes to food pantries, schools and camps are donated by companies and others, it still comes at a cost because it has to be picked up. There also are some products, such as canned fruits and vegetables, that have to be purchased.

That’s why the food bank has a fundraiser every year. This year, it will be Sept. 21 at Second Presbyterian Church, 313 N. East St., Bloomington.

“One hundred percent of the proceeds go to the food bank,” said Gail McCane, a Midwest Food Bank volunteer and one of the fundraiser’s committee members. “We have sponsors to pay for the cost of the Booth Brothers (a gospel group providing the entertainment).”

McCane said the third annual event was moved from the smaller Northside Church of Christ to Second Presbyterian to accommodate more people. Last year, the 400 available seats sold quickly. This year, 800 tickets are available.

Ticket sales alone will bring in $13,500 and McCane said donations also are taken at the concert.

That money will help Midwest Food Bank, located at 1703 S. Veterans Parkway, offset the costs of providing food to area food pantries. Midwest only has two paid employees, McCane and Beth Hewing, director of food safety. The rest of the work is done by volunteers.

Steve McCane said fuel costs alone have increased nearly 70 percent since last year. The food bank uses trucks to pick up donated items across the country. Volunteers drive the trucks.

“We project that we will spend over $260,000 this year on fuel,” said McCane.

There also is the cost of buying some items. Hewing said in order to cut costs, manufacturers of canned fruits and vegetables only produce the products when store shelves have to be restocked. Consequently, there is no surplus to be donated.

McCane said Midwest Food Bank has a good partnership with two companies that produce the products and gets them at a lower price. But it still takes money.

The food bank also has a good partnership with local farmers who donate livestock for slaughter. Midwest has to pick up the cost of processing the meat. A Gridley company does the processing at cost, McCane said.

In addition to serving area food pantries, the food bank helps with disaster relief — from the January flooding in Pontiac to last year’s devastating Hurricane Katrina and, more recently, Hurricane Gustav.

McCane said the disaster relief efforts help link Midwest to other suppliers and donations that often end up helping local food pantries. A trip to help out in Florida, for example, linked Midwest Food Bank to free supplies in South Carolina that ultimately ended up in Pontiac.



GO!

What: The Booth Brothers in concert to benefit Midwest Food Bank

When: 4 p.m. Sept. 21

Where: Second Presbyterian Church, 313 N. East St., Bloomington

Cost: $15 and $20 seats available. Tickets can be purchased at Berean Bookstore, 1611 Clearwater Ave., Bloomington, or by calling Midwest Food Bank, 1703 S. Veterans Parkway, Bloomington. Love offering also will be taken at the concert

Take a look
Midwest Food Bank volunteer Robert Hany prints out labels for a truck driver showing donated foods that are bound for the Helping Hands Outreach, in Odin. The Pantagraph/STEVE SMEDLEY
Illinois State University junior and volunteer Josh Stoller of Gridley, removes packaging from frozen chicken breasts, while working at the Midwest Food Bank, 1703 South Veterans Parkway, Bloomington on Wednesday morning August 27th. The Pantagraph/STEVE SMEDLEY
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Reader comments on this story - 2 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

John Weaver wrote on Sep 5, 2008 7:53 PM:

" I have visited the food bank many times and always am deeply touched by the dedication and professional operation. I have made contributions and wish to do more.

A very good cause. "

tatbtime wrote on Sep 5, 2008 7:20 PM:

" could this be our y2k? "
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