UIS students collect 9,000 pounds of food for the Central Illinois Foodbank

Hundreds of University of Illinois Springfield students helped to collect 9,000 pounds of food for the Central Illinois Foodbank on Halloween night from approximately 6,800 Springfield homes.

This year, Hy-Vee on MacArthur Boulevard has pledged to match donations, making the total contribution 18,000 pounds of food.

Teams of UIS students went door-to-door in several Springfield neighborhoods collecting the canned goods. Earlier this month, the teams canvassed the neighborhoods and distributed door hangers that explained the project.

Collected items were returned and weighed on campus. Prizes were awarded to the teams that collected the most food.

The Central Illinois Foodbank distributes over 9 million pounds of food annually to more than 150 food pantries, soup kitchens, residential programs and after-school programs in a 21 county region.

For more information, or if you have food that was not collected, please contact the UIS Volunteer Center at 217/206-7716 or volunteer@uis.edu.