Virtual ‘Foodie 5K’ To Help Northern IL Food Bank Feed Thousands

GENEVA, IL — The Northern Illinois Food Bank is calling all runners to lace up their shoes for its virtual “Foodie 5K” and help stock pantries throughout the region, which have become important than ever during the coronavirus pandemic.

Registration for the virtual race is open through Nov. 30, with those who sign up set to receive a Foodie 5K 2020 medal and T-shirt.

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The Northern Illinois Food Bank can provide $8 worth of groceries for every $1 it receives in donations thanks to its partnerships with food manufacturers and retailers, who have been “so generous” throughout the pandemic, said Liz Gartman, communications manager for the organization.

That means each runner’s $25 discounted registration fee is worth about $200 in food. By Monday, the virtual Foodie 5K race raised more than a third of its $15,000 goal.

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The need for assistance has remained high throughout the first eight months of the coronavirus pandemic and could grow as winter approaches, with some families forced “to make tough choices” like paying for heat or buying groceries, Gartman said.

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The Northern Illinois Food Bank runs about two dozen distribution events every week, while supplying pop-up markets and food pantries across 13 counties. In October, the organization distributed 9.7 million meals, or about 11.6 million pounds of food, to its network of more than 900 partners, Gartman said.

How to Help

Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2020, more than 50 million Americans will not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.

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