Four-hundred area families are getting some relief this week in the form of free food from the St. James United Methodist Church food pantry in Danville. Food pantry director Carol Olson says normally there is no food distribution during December because the church serves as the location where Toys for Tots are given away. But this year its different.
Olson says the food pantry became a U.S. Department of Agriculture commodity agency during the summer. “And that means we get a lot of free food from the Eastern Illinois Foodbank and USDA.” She adds if they did not give some of the food away this month they would have a storage problem.
“At first we were offering it just to people with Toys for Tots, but some of our regular clients have been coming today, too. We had 400 bags and when they’re gone – they’re gone,” added Olson.
“God has really blessed us, and so has the community,” said Olson during an interview with Vermilion County First News. She says the food pantry has been serving around 385 families a month – which is 50 to 60 more per month than last year. And Olson says assisting that many families equates to some 1,300 to 1,500 people.
And while serving more people in need this year, the St. James Food Pantry has been doing it with fewer volunteers because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “When we were doing it before the pandemic we had over 100 volunteers each month. Now, we’re scaled back to maybe 20. And they’re just our church members now, pretty much.”
“The community has been so generous,” added Olson. “They’ve seen our lines and sent us money.”
If you would like to help the pantry, monetary donations can be sent to St. James Food Pantry, 504 N. Vermilion St., Danville, IL, 61832.
