Tom Loewy: Food pantry depends on ‘everyday people’ – News – The Register-Mail – Galesburg, IL Tom Loewy: Food pantry depends on ‘everyday people’

Dusty Hall cautiously backed his pick-up truck close to FISH Food Pantry’s side door Monday morning.

Sporting a beard and a cammo baseball cap, Hall looked more like a quiet hunter stalking deer than a dude dropping off canned goods at a food pantry.

When asked if he would talk to me after unloading a truck bed filled with boxes of canned goods, Hall’s quiet “Sure” was barely audible over the gusting wind.

It took a good 15 minutes for Hall and FISH volunteer Marcey Younge to transfer the boxes of canned goods into the pantry’s stock room.

Though it buys a good portion of its food from the River Bend Food Bank, FISH accepts donations of canned and some perishable food like bread and eggs, as well fresh fruits and vegetables from 10 a.m. Monday through Friday.

Hall’s offerings will not be wasted.

FISH Food Pantry helped 6,955 visitors through July of this year. Those people, a number of them repeat clients, represented 2,882 households.

I got those numbers from Diane Copeland, who is entering her third year as the food pantry’s president.

“We just get so much support from the community, it’s hard to describe it all. She rattled off all the support that makes it happen from the Galesburg Community Foundation and grants from Emergency Food and Shelter, to food drives and fundraisers held by the likes of WGIL Galesburg Radio 14 and the annual Letter Carriers Food Drive.

Copland said a special thanks, too, to everyday people like Hall.

The first question I asked the quiet donor was what organization he represented. Telling each one always puts a little heat behind my eyes and a lump in my throat.

Everyday people really are amazing.

Dusty Hall’s Deck the Halls Toy Drive will be held from 5 p.m.