Fast-a-Thon
An event from CAIR-UIUC, a University of Illinois Student Organization :
What are you doing to help out those less fortunate? Want to put yourself in their shoes for a day? We invite your organization to an opportunity to do so.
On September 10th, join CAIR-UIUC and cosponsors in an interfaith fast to raise awareness for those less fortunate, both locally and in our global community.
The suggested fast is to refrain from food and water from sunup to sundown. Dinner is provided, free of charge, but it is recommended guests bring a $5 donation to support the local Eastern Illinois Foodbank.
The event is 6:00-8:30 p.m. at the Wesley Foundation on 1203 W. Green Street, Urbana (the corner of Green&Goodwin). This year's keynote speaker is Dr. Sabeel Ahmed of GainPeace.
The greatest support you can give us is spreading the word via email to your organizations and forwarding this to any listservs or bulletin boards you may be a part of. This help will be greatly appreciated. Also if you would like a member of a particular religious community to give a short talk on their perspectives on fasting at the event, please let us know.
CAIR-UIUC
What are you doing to help out those less fortunate? Want to put yourself in their shoes for a day? We invite your organization to an opportunity to do so.
On September 10th, join CAIR-UIUC and cosponsors in an interfaith fast to raise awareness for those less fortunate, both locally and in our global community.
The suggested fast is to refrain from food and water from sunup to sundown. Dinner is provided, free of charge, but it is recommended guests bring a $5 donation to support the local Eastern Illinois Foodbank.
The event is 6:00-8:30 p.m. at the Wesley Foundation on 1203 W. Green Street, Urbana (the corner of Green&Goodwin). This year's keynote speaker is Dr. Sabeel Ahmed of GainPeace.
The greatest support you can give us is spreading the word via email to your organizations and forwarding this to any listservs or bulletin boards you may be a part of. This help will be greatly appreciated. Also if you would like a member of a particular religious community to give a short talk on their perspectives on fasting at the event, please let us know.
CAIR-UIUC
Hunger Action Month
You see those numbers? 1 in 8 Americans are struggling with hunger. That's why every year in September, all the foodbanks that are members of Feeding America participate in a massive, coordinated national effort to raise awareness of hunger and inspire our communities to take action against it.Click on the image above to find out more. You can improve someone's life today!
Snapshot of Hunger
September is national Hunger Action Month, and Feeding Illinois has created a campaign to help us better understand why so many Illinois families struggle with hunger.
Imagine a family of four with a working parent and another parent who was recently laid off yet receives unemployment. This family brings home (after taxes) approximately $1,696 per month. After paying the bills, this family has approximately $110 left to purchase all food and household necessities for an entire week--that's $28/person per week or $4/person per day.
But sometimes even our words cannot fully express what people in our communities must suffer through. Sometimes seeing is believing. That's why we're asking YOU to participate in the Feeding Illinois Snapshot of Hunger challenge.
Here's how you can participate:
It's not much. It'll probably last a few days, tops, and I usually don't eat breakfast. Plus, it's not exactly a balanced diet, and it doesn't include any household necessities like soap, detergent, etc.
It is no myth that families in our area simply can't afford even the most basic of human necessities. This month, we at the Eastern Illinois Foodbank call you to action. We are calling on you to participate by taking a photo and sharing it. We believe that by seeing for yourself, you will gain a better idea of what many folks in our area are going through in these trying times.
Imagine a family of four with a working parent and another parent who was recently laid off yet receives unemployment. This family brings home (after taxes) approximately $1,696 per month. After paying the bills, this family has approximately $110 left to purchase all food and household necessities for an entire week--that's $28/person per week or $4/person per day.
But sometimes even our words cannot fully express what people in our communities must suffer through. Sometimes seeing is believing. That's why we're asking YOU to participate in the Feeding Illinois Snapshot of Hunger challenge.
Here's how you can participate:
- Fill a cart with $28 worth of grocery items during the week of Sept. 14-20.
- Take a photo of your cart. Feel free to get creative!
- Share your photo with Feeding Illinois. You can share your photo by emailing it to snapshot@feedingillinois.org. When emailing, please include your First Name, City in the subject section.
- For other ways to help like making a donation or volunteering, please visit Feeding Illinois.
It's not much. It'll probably last a few days, tops, and I usually don't eat breakfast. Plus, it's not exactly a balanced diet, and it doesn't include any household necessities like soap, detergent, etc.It is no myth that families in our area simply can't afford even the most basic of human necessities. This month, we at the Eastern Illinois Foodbank call you to action. We are calling on you to participate by taking a photo and sharing it. We believe that by seeing for yourself, you will gain a better idea of what many folks in our area are going through in these trying times.
WCIA Food Drive
Champaign's own WCIA News teamed up with the Eastern Illinois Foodbank today for a Food Drive downtown, right across from the new public library. We called for the community to find within them the spirit of giving that makes all of us stronger.
The community responded in a tremendous way, bringing cans wrapped in boxes and plastic bags, and offering graciously from their hard-earned money.
We were impressed by how open and friendly the donors were, and how quickly the donations came in.
The drive started early in the morning, with Foodbank volunteers working side-by-side with the news men and women from WCIA 3. As the day went on, pallet after pallet was filled with bright boxes and cans, then loaded into the truck.
And throughout the day, the community continued to respond to the call. Donations came from young and old, men and women alike, appearing at our tent by car, motorcycle, and foot. They drove up early and walked away late. 
As the sun came low, the Food Drive had collected over 6,100 pounds of food and $4,100 for the alleviation of hunger in Eastern Illinois.
It grew dark and the truck was loaded, then shipped to the Foodbank for distribution to pantries and shelters in the area.
On that day, people willingly gave themselves and the little they had for a community struggling in tough times. Recessions try us all, but especially those who struggle with unemployment, who must fight each day to keep their families fed. The drive reminded us how our own community was willing to take up the burden to give and sacrifice for those in need.
If you'd like to get involved, please contact us!
Feeding America: JBF Humatarian Award
This video reminds us that food is a basic humanitarian need. We are proud to work with Feeding America to make a difference in the lives of many.
Get involved by contacting us.
Profile: Isaac, 22, Student Volunteer
My name is Isaac Tan and I just started volunteering at the Eastern Illinois Foodbank this summer. I have spent four years in Champaign-Urbana, attending the University of Illinois. My majors are Chemistry and English Literature. I've learned a lot while attending university, but I must admit I've learned the most in the community while serving and meeting new people.
I came to the Foodbank looking for a way to volunteer and when I arrived, I immediately learned about the different issues facing the health and wellness of Illinois and the country. I was shocked by the large rates of unemployment and hunger, problems not necessarily visible inside the bubble of university life, affecting scores of people. They put me to work at the Foodbank because, I realized, there was much work to be done.
For now, my perspective is an outsider's perspective. I have not worked to alleviate hunger for long, but I feel the duty to serve my community. It keeps me writing and attending events. I know it is not easy to survive when times are tough and when work is hard and long. But I do know that a little bit of public service makes a tremendous difference for the common good.
I am a 22 year old community servant and I will be contributing on this blog. Please keep reading!
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