Big WEEOC food fair is on Friday
The Western Egyptian Economic Opportunity Center in Du Quoin is hosting a big food giveaway on Friday, for families who are finding it hard to put enough food on the table.
"This is the big one," with up to 22 pallets of food, said Ashley Greer, community service coordinator for the WEEOC. Besides the big shipment of supplies that will arrive Friday morning from the St. Louis Area Food Bank, local businesses may have donations as well, she added.
The food will be distributed from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot next to the WEEOC, at 317 S. Washington St., Du Quoin. Greer said they have given away all 250 vouchers for the Food Fair, which means they expect 250-300 people to come.
But they are telling other hopefuls it's OK to come, too.
"We're telling people (without vouchers) to come between 11 a.m. and noon," Greer said. People with vouchers will be handled first, but Greer said she won't be surprised if there is food left over for other people to get some.
Like all other food giveaways at the WEEOC in 2020, there will be no contact between the volunteers and the clients. Clients won't get out of their cars, and when they drive up the supplies will be placed directly into their car trunks or back seats.
The 20 to 30 volunteers will be masked and wear gloves, Greer added, to prevent transmission of the COVID-19 virus.
But to keep the environment from feeling too sterile, Greer has invited her volunteers to dress in costume.
"We're going to try to make it more festive, to make it fun," Greer said. "After all, the next day is Halloween!"
Greer said the WEEOC's regular weekly food pantries continue to see more clients as the pandemic grinds on, hurting the local economy.
On the bright side, they are getting more donations and volunteers as well.
"But at the same time, the more food we have it seems the more (clients) we have," Greer said, adding that the WEEOC shelves are nearly empty after each Thursday's food pantry. "I'm worried more people are going to heed help."