On Thursday, Nov. 13, Dot Foods brought the gift of hope to two Macomb food pantries.
The Mt. Sterling-based business has a strong community service and philanthropic mission, and as part of its Dot's Neighbor to Neighbor program, delivered $60,000 in food to 15 area pantries Nov. 13-14, including the Western Illinois University Food pantry, which is set up for WIU students, staff and faculty, and The Good Food Pantry, a division of the Western Illinois Regional Council (WIRC). Company employees were on hand to unload pallets of food from the Dot semi-truck to the two pantries.
Dot is making similar donations in the communities served by each of its 13 U.S. distribution centers, its corporate sales office in St. Louis, Missouri, and its Canadian operation in Ingersoll, for a total contribution of approximately $560,000 this year. In addition to the Macomb donations, the Neighbor to Neighbor program took donations to pantries in Industry, Beardstown, Warsaw, Nauvoo, Quincy, Versailles, Meredosia, Barry, Winchester, Murrayville, Carrollton and Jacksonville.
Before the WIU Food Pantry officially opened seven years ago, Dietetics Associate Professor Emily Shupe was purchasing food on her own to keep a stockpile in her office for hungry students. After some time passed, she noticed that more and more students were coming in to get food. The pantry, which opened in March 2018, was originally housed in a ticket booth at Hanson Field. The pantry quickly outgrew the space due to the need for its services - and increased donations, which resulted in moving to a larger, permanent space in Horrabin Hall 10 in October 2020.
'From just noon-1 p.m. today, we distributed 900 pounds of food. The need is there,' Shupe told the Dot crew at Thursday's distribution. 'Before we even opened our doors today, we had 45 students waiting in line.' Overall, on Nov. 13, the WIU Pantry served 141 patrons and distributed 1,796 pounds of food. Shupe's students run the food pantry as part of a student organization, with assistance from Shupe and pantry co-director Carrie Lowderman of WIU Athletics. The WIU Food Pantry is open to any WIU employee or student, regardless of income. The pantry is open from noon-5 p.m. Thursdays, 10 a.m.-noon Saturdays and by appointment (schedule by emailing [email protected]). In addition, the pantry sets up tables outside of the pantry that are stocked with a variety of food so students and other members of the University community can have access to items when then pantry isn't open. The WIU Food Pantry serves 800-1,000 individuals each month.
'Food insecurity is a problem many of our students who reside off campus experience,' she said. 'The pandemic definitely created an increased need, and we also have an increased number of international students. As they cannot work off campus and can only work 20 hours a week on campus, their funds are limited.'
Food donations can be made by contacting [email protected] or CA-Lowderman@wiu. edu. Monetary donations can be made through the WIU Foundation at (309) 298-1861 or WIUFoundation@ wiu.edu. Food items are purchased from the River Bend Food Bank's Feeding America program. The food pantry also receives food each month from Midwest Food Bank, along with a grant program through Dot Foods to shop at Dorothy's Market in Mt. Sterling.
'Our motto is 'Students Feeding Students,'' Shupe said. 'We rely on grants and donations, with the ultimate goal of taking care of our students in need. We hope that when they graduate and become successful, they remember the care they received and continue that legacy. We let our students and others who use the pantry know that they're going to be okay and that someone cares for them. Thank you so much to Dot Foods for your continued support. You're such an amazing company.'
For more information, email [email protected].
Before the WIU distribution, the semi made a stop at The Good Food Pantry, which is managed by Kelly Shiraki, to distribute pallets of food.
'We are incredibly grateful to Dot Foods for stepping up during such a critical time. The need in our community has grown dramatically, and donations like this allow us to keep pace and ensure families have access to nutritious food,' said Stacy Nimmo, WIRC CEO. 'We're fortunate to live in a community where businesses and individuals consistently show generosity and compassion. Together, we can make sure no one goes hungry.'
The McDonough County pantry has seen an even greater influx of visitors during recent months, Shiraki noted. Between June and September, the average number of households jumped up to 423 households (1,158 people) per month and in October over 1,000 people have needed assistance.
Anyone who lives in McDonough County and whose household income is at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level is eligible to receive support from Good Food Pantry, which is open from 1-5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The pantry also serves individuals who are unhoused or lack access to kitchen facilities.
Donated food items are accepted from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday, at the WIRC office. Shelf-stable/ nonperishable food, such as canned proteins; pasta and sauces; condiments and basic spices, are always in demand. If someone wishes to make a financial donation, they can go to wirpc.org/donate to make a donation online or by mailing/ dropping off a check or cash at WIRC, Attn: Good Food Pantry, 133 West Jackson Street, Macomb, IL 61455. Individuals interested in helping in any way can contact Shiraki at (309)313-2048 or at [email protected].
While Dot's charitable work supports a range of causes, fighting food insecurity remains central to the company's mission. In addition to the annual Neighbor to Neighbor program, which launched in 2014, Dot donates to local food pantries throughout the year.
'With our Neighbor to Neighbor program, we have a different approach to supporting local food pantries,' said Suzy Parn, director of Dot's corporate charitable committee. 'Instead of waiting for requests, we proactively reach out to pantries near our locations, give them the chance to choose what they need most, and then deliver those items directly. It's a hands-on approach that connects our employees to the communities we serve in a really meaningful way.'
