Blue Cross Blue Shield and Eastern Illinois Foodbank are teaming up to distribute a truckload of food from the Eastern Illinois Foodbank to hungry area families. The distribution will be held at Sullivan High School 9-11 a.m. December 14. All Moultrie County residents who meet income eligibility criteria are welcome (see below).

The distribution is part of the Foodbank’s Foodmobile Program, a system of mobile food pantries designed to help bring nutritious food to areas of chronic or extreme need. Through the program, local companies and organizations are invited to contribute toward a one-day distribution of food and optionally participate in the distribution process. The cost to partner with the Foodbank on a Foodmobile distribution is $2,500.

The foodmobile distribution comes at a critical moment for area residents. Data released by Feeding America, the nation’s network of food banks, shows that a staggering 15% of people in eastern Illinois are considered food insecure, which means they sometimes lack adequate access to food. More shockingly, over 20% of children are food insecure. (http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-studies/map-the-meal-gap.aspx)

“The number of people in eastern Illinois struggling to get food on the tables has been on a 10-year climb,” said Jim Hires, Executive Director at the Foodbank. “Eastern Illinois has been hit especially hard. We are so grateful to Blue Cross Blue Shield for their commitment to helping the hungry through corporate giving and service.”

All eligible residents of Moultrie County needing food are welcome to attend the foodmobile distribution. To be eligible, a household must have an income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level, or approximately $3,631 per month for a family of four. Full eligibility criteria are listed below. Other area foodmobile distributions may be found by visiting the foodbank’s website at www.eifoodbank.org and clicking “find help.”

For maximum monthly income per eligible household see the table below (for each additional member over eight, add $620.