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Alleviate Hunger in Champaign County |
In 2003 and again in 2005, #1 call to First Call for Help was for a request for food assistance. A 2003 Food & Nutrition Agency Survey undertaken by the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission states that less than half of the known food-distributing agencies in the county provide 9655 boxes of groceries and 36,930 meals to residents annually. At the same time, 21 of 29 responses indicated that need for food is increasing.
Compounding the impact of this great need, the food distribution system is lacking coordination. There is no coordinated system of access or referral and there is no list of food pantries or directory of services. This fragmentation of services is noted in the 2004 Community Wide Needs Assessment, as both issue experts and community leaders identified the need for more coordination and cooperation among the many different organizations/agencies which provide basic need services.
Self-sufficiency is defined as having the capacity to meet basic needs, including food, housing, child care, healthcare and transportation. In the 2004 Community-Wide Needs Assessment, basic needs ranked as the most pressing challenge facing Champaign County residents. One of the greatest basic needs in our community is the need for food. Surveys show that children, the elderly and the working poor are the groups most in need of emergency food assistance. It is estimated that 52,920 Champaign County residents are unable to meet their own basic needs and that 8,600 of these residents are children and youth.
Our goal through the Alleviate Hunger Initiative is that whenever anyone in Champaign County experiences a time of needing food assistance, they can readily access timely, adequate, appropriate assistance sufficient to see them safely through that time of need.
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May 2, 2007- Alleviate Hunger Update |
Alleviate Hunger has moved into Phase II and has begun to see results. After a thorough effort to locate and document all emergency food sources in Champaign County, Eastern Illinois Foodbank (EIF) has created a database of emergency food programs and continues to update relevant information.
Throughout this phase, EIF has determined:
- There are currently 55 total pantry and emergency box programs in Champaign County.
- 19 of these programs are only accessible through one of the existing referral systems.
- Pantries and agencies that are members of EIF serve 98.35% of the individuals receiving emergency food monthly.
- Emergency food programs in Champaign County are collectively distributing food to an average of 10,636 individuals each month.
Eastern Illinois Foodbank as well as United Way continue to move forward with Alleviate Hunger in hopes of maintaining information and mobilizing resources for our community. If you or someone you know is in need of emergency food, the most comprehensive and easiest way to access the system is through First Call for Help. EIF will continue to provide information to First Call for Help as it is updated.
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