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The WSOY Community Food Drive Awards Over $1.5 Million Dollars in Funding to Local Food Pantries and Feeding Programs

By Lindsay Romano Nov 30, 2021 | 7:00 PM

Organizers announce the WSOY Community Food Drive will conclude it’s 20-year history with nearly 24 million pounds of food raised.

WSOY and our community partners, ADM, First Mid Bank and Trust/First Mid Insurance Group, Skeff Distributing, Jones & Thomas/JTnet, Decatur Back & Neck Center, Tickets N Trips, First Christian Church, Dale’s Southlake Pharmacy & Colee’s Corner Drugs, DynaGraphics, Kroger, Herald & Review, WAND-TV, The Community Foundation of Macon County, and the United Way are pleased to announce over $1.5 million dollars in grant funding to our local pantries and feeding programs. 

20 years ago, WSOY organized a small food drive to help one local food pantry, raising 35,000 pounds of food. At the time, it seemed a tremendous success, but more importantly ignited a spark that, 20 years later, would culminate as the community’s proudest achievement with 24 million pounds of food raised for food pantries in our local community. For 20 years, the Decatur community fully embraced The WSOY Community Food Drive, demonstrating compassion and a common purpose…that no family should be hungry in our community. 

In 2021, thanks to a generous $1 million dollar donation by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, as well as sizable donations from ADM, The Andreas Foundation, our community partners, and the community at large, The WSOY Community Food Drive is presenting grants that represents almost 95% of a 3-year allocation to each organization. It is because of this generosity and the blessings of the community over 20 years, that the WSOY Community Food Drive is announcing that 2021 Food Drive, held on October 8th, would be the final year of this amazing event. 

“From the humble beginning 20 years ago all the way through the record-shattering 2021 event this past October, the WSOY Community Food Drive has been a vehicle for this incredibly generous community to shine. I’m so proud to have been a part of this two-decade-long journey” said Brian Byers, WSOY Community Food Drive co-founder and Vice President of Development for Neuhoff Media. 

“For 20 years, this food drive has been a remarkable achievement made possible thanks to a remarkable community. It makes me proud to live in Decatur and Macon County. I cannot fully express my gratitude towards the hundreds of donors, volunteers, companies, partners, and organizations that made this blessing possible” said Kevin Breheny, community leader and WSOY Community Food Drive co-founder. 

Today, The WSOY Food Drive is pleased to announce the following grant awards to the following organizations:

  • Catholic Charities Food Pantry $373,900.00 
  • Catholic Charities Meals on Wheels $18,800.00 
  • Salvation Army Food Pantry $241,900.00 
  • Northeast Community Fund Thanksgiving Basket Project $84,900.00 
  • Helping Hands Food Pantry $14,250.00 
  • Crossing Healthcare Prescription Gardens $58,500.00 
  • Gods Shelter of Love $11,500.00 
  • Baby Talk Warmline Assistance $7,500.00 
  • RCC Food Pantry $5,750.00 
  • Northeast Community Fund Food Pantry $355,100.00 
  • Good Samaritan Inn $127,500.00 
  • Extended Hands/ Reasonable Services $141,500.00 
  • Blue Mound Food Pantry $14,500.00 
  • Mt. Zion Food Pantry $11,500.00 
  • New Vision Food Pantry $7,500.00 
  • Big Blue Backpacks $14,500.00 
  • AMELCA $14,500.00 

In addition, the WSOY Community Food Drive is awarding cash prizes to the schools that raised the most funds for the Drive in 2021. Prizes have been made possible by our community partners and sponsors. 

  • 1st place – Mt. Zion High School – $2500 
  • 2nd place – St. Patrick’s School – $1500 
  • 3rd place – St. Teresa High School- $1000 
  • 4th place – Eisenhower High School – $750 
  • 5th place – Our Lady of Lourdes School – $500 

Byers added “I thank every single sponsor, volunteer, and donor from the bottom of my heart. This community should be incredibly proud of this achievement and know that because of its heart and generosity, almost 24 million pounds of food has been raised for over 22 organizations during this 20-year run.” 

For more information visit NowDecatur.com.

Contact:
Lindsay Romano
lindsayromano@neuhoffmedia.com 

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