The United Way of Whiteside County free summer lunch program, Let’s Feed Our Children, concluded on Thursday, August 10, 2017, celebrating its 16th year.
Nearly 480 volunteers from local churches, area organizations, and many corporate partners, prepared brown bag lunches for children at various Illinois sites, in Sterling, Rock Falls, Morrison, Prophetstown, Tampico, Fulton, Erie, Lyndon, Albany, and Chadwick/Milledgeville.
Sauk Valley Foodbank serves as the warehouse for all the food used during the 11 weeks. The Foodbank is able to buy many of these supplies in bulk. Thank you to Walmart Distribution Center 7024, for their donation of fresh fruit at each site this year.
A total of 3420 loaves of bread were used for the 11-week program.
The grand total of lunches served was 31,665:
- Sterling, 16,227
- Rock Falls, 6590
- Rock Falls Breakfast Program through the YMCA, 1766
- Morrison, 982
- Tampico, 1274
- Erie/Lyndon, 1185
- Prophetstown, 513
- Fulton, 2950
- Albany, 103
- Chadwick/Milledgeville, 127.
The United Way of Whiteside County thanks the churches that donated peanut butter and jelly, along with monetary donations for the cost of the program. Over 25 churches, ten businesses, and many individual volunteers helped.
t truly takes entire communities to feed our children in the County. Thank you, volunteers, for the many hours each of you gave this year.