Updates from the Board: April 2022

Three discussions dominated the April Board of Directors meeting held at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, April 8, 2022.  

1. March was headlined by a record-breaking 3,288 families shopping the pantry, with a total of 4,294 families served (including those to whom we deliver food in low-income neighborhoods, seniors, and the medically shut-in). A total of almost 12,000 individuals received food from us this month, more than ever before, and 50% more than in March, 2021. This led to an unpleasant reality: Instead of the budgeted $6,000 for purchasing food, or the recent ‘new normal’ of $10,000, we spent just over $23,000 for food. 
   
   Why the huge increase? We are faced with three factors: a 7.9% increase in cost of food has meant many people can’t afford to buy food in grocery stores. Coupled with dramatically reduced donations of food from our primary food donors, this has necessitated us to buy food to cover what was once given to us. The third factor is the large number of immigrants with political asylum who are relocating to the Elgin area. They are fully documented with permission to be in this country, but not yet allowed to work. They are coming to us to get food.
   
2. The Board endorsed the staff recommendation to keep the requirement for Covid precautions, including wearing masks for all who enter the building until May 1, maintaining safe distancing between people with a requirement of one person per family (unless a second person is required to physically assist the shopper), and no children in the facility unless they are an infant (defined as someone who is carried by their parent and then placed in the child seat in the cart). Volunteers are available to shop for people who do not have someone to care for their children.
   
3. The Board enthusiastically endorsed the work of the Pallet to Palate planning committee which is working hard to raise over $55,000 at this year’s Pallet to Palate event with Café Roma and Elgin Public House on April 22 and April 26. See https://ffge.givecloud.co/2022P2P. Reserve your ticket now!