MARION (WSIL) — A local group is stepping up to help families in need throughout southern Illinois from Cairo up to Mt. Vernon.
Laborers Local 773 will be holding drive-thru food distributions each week for the next eight months due to a recent grant from the USDA.
That will begin at 8 a.m. June 4 at their headquarters in Marion where they will give 350 families boxes with 40 pounds of fresh produce and dairy.
Jerry Womick, who is the group’s business manager, says they’ve already held a similar event and delivered food to those in the community who are unable to get out of their homes.
“We’ve had so many people just break down in tears. This small gesture has meant so much to so many people.”
Those food giveaways were made possible through member and community donations totaling around $20,000.
Now, this grant from the USDA will help them feed even more people in southern Illinois. When the program ends, one million pounds of produce and dairy will have been given out in our region.
“The good thing is that we’ve noticed to is a lot of the folks, because these boxes are pretty substantial, they are able to share it with two or three other families, Womick explains.
He adds that the plan is to hold pop-up distributions in a different location each week throughout southern Illinois. The group plans on notifying residents of their weekly plans on the group’s Facebook page here.
But again, the first food distribution will take place at the Laborer’s Local 773 Headquarters in Marion on June 4th at 8 a.m. The food will be given away on a first-come, first-serve basis.
ADDRESS:
5102 Ed Smith Way
Marion, IL 62959
(618) 993-5773
