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Feed the Need donations have been distributed to area organizations
Belvidere Police begin unloading a trailer-load of food to the B-1 Food Pantry for people in the community.
Deputy Chief Matt Wallace said this year’s drive began just before Thanksgiving, “and Officer Tim Blankenship and the VIPs have accepted the huge task of trying to collect a truckload of food.”
Belvidere Police and Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) have collected non-perishable food and monetary donations.
“There are three churches that we give the food to,” said Officer Tim Blankenship of the Belvidere Police Department. “As well as Empower Boone and the Veterans Assistance Commission.
“Officer Fish started this operation here and I wanted to continue with it when I came here,” said Blankenship. “Each year the Belvidere Police Department and our VIPs conduct a Feed the Need Food Drive during the holiday season. All of the food and donations that are collected, in a normal year are redistributed to a local church for community meals, the B1 Food Pantry, the First Presbyterian Church, Empower Boone, and the Boone County Veterans Administration.
“Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to support the local churches, food pantries, and the Veterans Administration. This food drive helps to support these groups throughout the following year.
“This year the need is even greater because of the Stellantis shutdown, just as we are recovering from the pandemic, and all of its related economic impact on our community. We are very fortunate to live in a very generous community. We thank you for your help and generosity during this holiday season. 100 percent of the donations have been or will be distributed to our local community.
“I really enjoy doing this. The community is very generous and giving, in this case, food and money. We end up buying turkeys and hams. Collection events for Feed the Need this year were at: Aldi, Kuhn’s GMC of Belvidere, and Fiesta Market.
“Additionally, we will be able to sponsor multiple mobile food pantries throughout the year to help feed the underprivileged in our community.
“We would like to thank the following people and organizations for their continued support of this program: Magna, Kunes GMC of Belvidere, Cosmopolitan Club of Belvidere, ALDI USA, Fiesta Market, Americold, Belvidere, Boone County Crime Stoppers, Belvidere Officers Association, and RMP Property Management.
“Thank you to the many individuals that donated money or food at each and every event. We are all truly blessed to live in such a giving and caring community.”
Other programs that the Belvidere Police Department has recently accomplished on behalf of the community are:
• Prescription Medication Collection: “We have collected about 1400 pounds of medications this year between our spring and fall collection and the medication drop box in the Public Safety Building.”
Shred Day: People/organizations bring documents/mail/notes that they do not wish to put in the dumpster for security reasons and the papers are shredded right then and there.
Cash donations or checks can still be written out to the Belvidere Officers’ Association for anyone who would like to help and dropped off at the Belvidere Police Department during normal business hours or at any of the upcoming events hosted by the Belvidere Police and the VIPS.
