WSOY COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVE SHARES KEY INFORMATION AHEAD OF OCTOBER EVENT

Decatur, IL — As the WSOY Community Food Drive gears up for its annual day of giving on October 3, organizers have released answers to some of the most frequently asked questions from donors and participants.

Monetary Donations

Donations can be made online HERE. You can also Venmo your donation to @UWDecatur or text WSOY to 26989. For pledge donations, checks must be made payable to United Way, C/O The WSOY Community Food Drive or drop your donation off during the Food Drive on October 3rd from 6am-6pm at the Kroger in Airport Plaza.

Billing and Tax Information

Pledges can be billed, and all donations are tax-deductible through the WSOY Food Drive’s partnership with the United Way of Decatur and Mid-Illinois, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

What to Donate

All food items are appreciated, though a list of most-needed items is available HERE. Organizers note that the list was developed with input from local food distribution agencies to reflect current demand.

Perishable and Specialty Donations

Due to logistical limitations, perishable or frozen foods cannot be accepted at the main food drive site. However, donors can deliver such items directly to Catholic Charities Food Pantry, The Salvation Army, or Northeast Community Fund. Volunteers at those locations can receive the donations. To have the contribution counted toward a school or the drive total, donors are asked to weigh the food and report the weight to the WSOY Food Drive phone bank.

Pet food donations cannot be accepted at the food drive site, but may be given directly to Northeast Community Fund or area animal shelters.

Where Donations Go

All food collected during the event will be distributed among Catholic Charities, The Salvation Army, and Northeast Community Fund. Bulk wholesale food items will be directed to The Good Samaritan Inn to support its meal programs.

Funds raised during the drive are used exclusively for the purchase of food. Agencies that wish to receive financial assistance must complete a grant application, which can be found HERE.

School Credit Still Open to All

Anyone can credit a local school with their donation—even if they don’t have children enrolled. Participating schools are eligible to win cash prizes, which have been doubled this year thanks to a gift from the Heart of Illinois Community Foundation. The top five schools will receive prizes ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.

For more information or additional questions, the public is encouraged to contact organizers at info@wsoyfooddrive.com.