On February 27th, the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) teamed up with the Grace Food Pantry in an inspiring collaboration to help combat food insecurity in the Springfield community. The event, “Feeding Hope: A Fight Against Food Insecurity with Grace Food Pantry,” brought together student and staff volunteers to distribute much-needed food to individuals facing hunger.
The Grace Food Pantry, a mission of Grace Lutheran Church in Springfield, Illinois, supports over 1,000 individuals each month, providing crucial resources to those in need. In partnership with the UIS Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center, the event aimed to mobilize the power of local volunteers in the fight against food insecurity.
With the help of UIS students and community members, volunteers worked to sort, organize, and distribute food donations at the pantry. This event was part of a larger effort to address food insecurity, a growing issue in Springfield and across the state. According to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap, 23,470 people in Sangamon County faced food insecurity in 2022. The situation is even more dire statewide, with 1.5 million individuals in Illinois facing hunger.
Connie D. Komnick, Assistant Director of the UIS Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center, emphasized the importance of the event, stating, “The purpose of the project is to assist the community volunteers that run Grace Food Pantry during their open hours.”
Komnick also noted that the experience would be educational for the UIS volunteers involved. “We hope the experience of actively participating in efforts to combat food insecurity will help students gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by those in need. They will also develop valuable life skills such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving,” she said.
UIS students played a key role in the event, assisting with a range of tasks from packing food bags to helping clients select food items. Volunteers also sorted food donations and moved supplies to the pantry’s shopping area.
The event’s success highlights the ongoing commitment of UIS students to making a difference in their local community. For those interested in continuing their volunteer work, the UIS Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center has upcoming opportunities on March 27th and April 17th at the Grace Food Pantry.
As food insecurity continues to affect thousands in Springfield and beyond, efforts like these play a vital role in ensuring that no one in the community has to go hungry. Through collaboration, service, and compassion, UIS students are helping to feed hope, one meal at a time.
Upcoming Volunteer Dates:
- March 27, 2025
- April 17, 2025
For more information, contact the UIS Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center.
