October 3, 2026 – The WSOY Community Food Drive raised a record-breaking $1,051,000 Friday, bringing the Decatur-area community together for a day of giving and helping provide food assistance to local families.
The annual food drive was held at the Kroger on Route 36. Despite forecasts calling for rain, the day turned out to be pleasant, allowing thousands of community members, volunteers and supporters to come together to donate.
The total was made possible through countless individual donations as well as major contributions from the Andreas Foundation, ADM, Kroger, Millikin University, Memorial Health, Caterpillar, Primient and other community supporters.
Local schools also competed to raise money for the food drive. Prize money was provided by community partners and then doubled by the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation, which also added another $5,000 to the school competition during the food drive.
The winning schools were:
- First place: St. Teresa High School — $6,500
- Second place: St. Patrick School — $4,000
- Third place: Mt. Zion High School — $2,500
- Fourth place: Eisenhower High School — $2,000
- Fifth place: Maroa-Forsyth — $1,250
The large volume of food donations was distributed among Catholic Charities, The Salvation Army and Northeast Community Fund, which have the capacity to store and distribute the large number of food donations.
Cash raised through the food drive will be distributed to local food pantries through an application process, with funding decisions based on the pantries’ food budgets.
Applications for food pantry funding are available at WSOYFoodDrive.com.
Organizers say the success of the food drive is a reflection of the generosity of the entire community.
More than $1 million was raised in a single day — and that money and food will now go directly toward helping local families facing food insecurity.
