Eastern Illinois Foodbank exists to alleviate hunger and nourish stronger communities. Learn more about the impact we have on the communities in the 18 counties we serve.

Eastern Illinois Foodbank exists to alleviate hunger in eastern Illinois.

What We Do
The Eastern Illinois Foodbank is the primary food source for food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and other programs working to feed the hungry. The Foodbank acquires millions of pounds of food and grocery product through purchase or donation and distributes it across our network of more than 160 feeding programs. Together, we’re working to create a hunger-free eastern Illinois. By partnering with EIF, emergency food programs are able to save millions of dollars each year in food purchase and handling costs. These savings allow them to focus their efforts and funds on more effectively working to alleviate hunger in our area. The Foodbank also operates programs targeted to children, seniors and veterans. Learn more about our programs here.

What is food insecurity? Food insecurity refers to USDA’s measure of lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members and limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods. Simply put, food insecurity is hunger. The face of hunger is universal. Hunger affects people of all ages and races and exists in all communities. Currently, more than 97,000 people in eastern Illinois, including nearly 26,000 children, don't have enough to eat.

Feeding America undertook the Map the Meal Gap project, with the generous support of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and The Nielsen Company, to learn more about food insecurity at the local community level. View the interactive map showing food insecurity rates and find out how many meals are missing from the tables of hungry families in your community.

Learn more about poverty and food insecurity from Feeding America.

Eastern Illinois Foodbank

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