"After nearly 40 years of working in central and southern Illinois, I continue to be amazed at how our communities come together each day. From cheering on our kids in their sports and school activities, to standing outside to talk with neighbors during the height of COVID, to checking on each other after a mid-west storm, to working together to feed those who couldn’t afford a holiday meal, the warmth of our communities shows."

Check out the Foodbank's 2023 Annual Report.

"The Midwest is a culturally rich region, known for its agricultural prosperity. However, pockets of poverty in the rural Midwest are widespread, and central and southern Illinois are no exceptions. Rural communities face unique challenges, and often find themselves marginalized in national discussions about hunger. One of our goals at Central Illinois Foodbank is to spread awareness and develop creative solutions for food insecurity in this predominantly rural, and at times overlooked region..."

"Central Illinois Foodbank has made great strides growing forward with nutrition. Our mobile kitchen carts have provided hands-on education to our neighbors, with Illinois Extension and SIU School of Medicine cooking delicious and healthy recipes like banana berry ice cream, summer chili, and veggie pasta at community events."

"The Foodbank is actively working to give people the opportunity to make choices. From the fresh produce, dairy and protein the Foodbank secures and distributes, to the kitchen cart where local nutritionists demonstrate how to prepare items that we are giving out, to our newest initiative to provide cookware and utensils to youth and their families, we are always trying to put all of the puzzle pieces together to make meal planning and prep less stressful for individuals and families."