October 4, 2021 – The WSOY Community Food Drive is approaching and this year will mark the 20th year of the event.
The Food Drive has become a staple to not only the Decatur community but also for businesses involved as well. Eric Halvorson, Manager of Public Affairs for the Central Division of The Kroger Company, has been involved in the Food Drive for five years now. Eric was unable to attend the Drive Drive in his first year with Kroger, but it still made an impression on him. “I was disappointed when I discovered I couldn’t attend the food drive in my first year. I knew the event by its reputation, though, as the largest single-day food drive in the country. A colleague told me about the military precision of food and people moving through the parking lot from sunrise to sundown. I knew I had to put it on my calendar.”
When Eric was able to attend in person, he stated it more than lived up to what he imagined it to be. “In my first visit, the event certainly lived up to the description. What a remarkable display of logistical talent! People of all ages weaving around pallets of food. And, somehow, even with so much parking lot space devoted to the food drive, our store was still able to serve Kroger shoppers. That says a lot about the community spirit of everyone in Decatur. They know how important that one day is for their neighbors who need help to put food on the table.”
Speaking about how the partnership has been able to thrive for so many years, Halvorson said it takes mutual commitments to the same cause. “Kroger’s role in the food drive is a perfect fit for our Zero Hunger | Zero Waste social impact plan. That’s our commitment to end hunger in the communities we serve. And, knowing we can’t do it alone, we rely on partnerships. It’s worth noting that nowhere in our division – across central Illinois, into Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio – nowhere do we have one event that inspires the level of giving we see from the WSOY Food Drive.”
Last year’s Food Drive was donation only, but the pandemic only heightened the need for community help. “Twenty years of the WSOY Food Drive may have made Decatur uncommonly aware of the extent of hunger in the community. Now, because of the pandemic, hunger relief is a major concern everywhere – in all American cities and in our rural areas. More people are sensitive to stories of parents who skip meals so they can feed their kids. Americans are alert to stories of seniors who must choose between food and medicine because they can’t afford both. Because of the new awareness, food bank leaders are developing solutions that will, someday, provide a happy ending to those stories. And they can learn a valuable lesson just by visiting Decatur, Illinois, and watching what happens in that Kroger parking lot.” said Halvorson.
The 20th annual WSOY Community Food drive will be held on Friday, October 8th. If you would like to volunteer, go here. If you would like to make a donation, go here.
