DANVILLE – For families in need, trying to eat healthier is often times financially out of reach.
Produce, fresh meat and dairy products not only cost more than pasta and canned goods, but those items also have a much shorter shelf life.
The Danville Salvation Army, however, has been offering produce and sometimes fresh meat during special distributions a few times a week through a partnership with the Eastern Illinois Foodbank and the Feeding America program.
Last year, the Foodbank approached local Salvation Army officials about whether they would be interested in picking up the food items pulled daily from the shelves at the Danville Walmart.
The corps at 855 E. Fairchild St. has two coolers to keep the perishable food fresh.
The fresh food distribution days are in addition to the corps’ traditional food pantry, which is open 1:30-3:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Produce distribution is from 1-3:30 p.m. Monday, with two distributions on Thursday from 9-11:30 a.m. and from 1 to 3:30 p.m.
Sal’s Closet, which has clothing and housewares, is open from 1-3:30 p.m. Thursdays.
The additional fresh food distributions created a need to hire someone to oversee the Feeding America program as well as be a custodian at the corps.
Ann Severado is that person. Not only is she the janitor, but she is charged with making the grocery run several times a week for the produce and fresh meat.
“We still get donations from Meijer and Walmart,” Severado said.
“I started out as a volunteer four years ago, and then they hired me last year,” she said of working at the Salvation Army. “I love my job. I love it to death.”
Earlier in the week, a roomful of people patiently waited their turn to stock up on basic staples in the Salvation Army’s food pantry as well as peruse the open boxes of fresh produce.
In less than two hours, the produce was gone and Severado was back in the food pantry restocking shelves with canned goods.
Sharon Sawka, director of social services at the Danville corps, said families can receive food from the food pantry once every 30 days, however, they are not limited in the number of times they come for the fresh food distribution.
“They can come on the days that it’s open and as long as we have it,” Sawka said of the produce.
Last month, the Danville Salvation Army supplied 1,192 families with produce and non-perishable food from the food pantry.
“We are now giving out commodities as well as food,” she said. “The USDA buys it for us, and we get it through the food bank.”
The commodities the Danville corps receives “varies from month to month” but usually consists of ingredients necessary to make a complete meal, Sawka said.
“For example, for September we will be getting spaghetti sauce, cheese, rotini noodles and frozen carrots,” she said. “They try to do a nutritious meal every month.”
Sawka said families who are at 185 percent of the poverty level are eligible for the food pantry and the commodities.
