May is the biggest month of the year for food pantries and with the increased traffic means more donations are needed. Amy Hagen from the Taylorville Food Pantry and Brooke Dunn from the Central Illinois Food bank appeared on the WTIM Morning Show to explain how to donate, the inventory needed to supply food pantries and the challenges that come with feeding struggling families.

 

The total of 55,441 pounds is a record breaking donation weight for the food pantry. There has been growth in the number of households the pantries provide for, which means more donations are needed. Donating now is easier than ever, as you do not have to be a member.

There is a reason May is the busiest time of the year for food pantries. The summer months mean no more school breakfast or lunches to hold kids over while enjoying their summer vacation. The burden is on the parents to ensure three meals are ready for their children.

The efforts from the community are alive and well, Brooke Dunn, out of the Central Illinois Food Bank says donations from the surrounding communities along with Prairie Farms are keeping the shelves filled.

Benefits that have been cut causes rising numbers of people that need food pantry aid. Amy Hagen explains that the food pantries are serving as they are supposed to but the trends say more donations could be necessary.

To learn how to donate and for any information visit, http://taylorvillefoodpantry.com/, they are located 1429 East Main Cross.

To find out more about the Central Illinois Food bank go to, https://www.centralilfoodbank.org/