Hundreds attend Alton food giveaway as coronavirus takes toll on Illinois residents
The Alton Farmer’s Market might not open until May 9, but $65,000 worth of food and toiletries were distributed Friday at the market site to an estimated 1,700 area families.
Families feeling the economic strain the coronavirus pandemic started lining up early at Landmark Boulevard.
The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, Inc. held its fourth large food and supply giveaway for the St. Louis region. Volunteers distributed care packages containing fresh produce, milk, dried and canned goods, toiletries, and fruit to area families.
The next event is planned for Friday, May 2 on the site of the former Jamestown Mall. The Urban League hopes to serve 2,500 families between noon and 3 p.m. said Brenda Walker McCain, Madison County Urban League President and CEO.
More than 1,500 families were served last week in East St. Louis.
“Since the pandemic we have been receiving over 200 calls a day, asking questions about the COVID-19,” Walker McCain said. “People are trying to balance paying rent, paying utilities and buying food and even purchasing medicine. This will give them an opportunity to pay that next bill, that utility bill, pay on their rent, get the medicines and the meds they need, not only for themselves but for their children.”
The Illinois Department of Employment Security reported Thursday that 4.4 million Americans filed first-time unemployment claims during the week that ended April 18, including 102,936 workers from Illinois.
“Most of the families that we work with are one paycheck away,” Walker McCain said. “It’s unfortunate that you have to balance those kind of things, but that’s where we are. This is going to truly help them make ends meet.”
For more information or to make a donation to the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis visit, www.ulstl.com
This event was sponsored by Enterprise Holdings Foundation, the COVID-19 Regional Response Fund Coalition, Emerson, the Regional Business Council, Sysco, Bank of America, Simmons Bank, Schnucks, Regions Bank, United Way of Greater St. Louis, St. Louis Area Food Bank, Holland and Operation Food Search.