(CARBONDALE) WSIL -- Many people in our region have been unemployed due to COVID-19 and with the "stay-at-home" order expected to be extended, things could become more tough for families.
However, the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Illinois (BGCSI) is stepping up where it can.
The club is acting as a distribution site for the Carbondale Community High School and serves 75 lunches daily to students and members. These meals are available Monday through Friday from noon to 1:30.
The group is also partnering with local restaurants to feed families dinners.
Tina Carpenter, CEO of BGCSI) says, restaurants have been working the club to offer affordable prices for these meal, but that the eateries are benefiting as well.
"We are kind of paying forward and back to the restaurants as they are struggling as well," she explains.
Some restaurants that have helped out include Cristaudo's, Don Sol, Hunan, Cozy Cakes, Naomi Ariel Catering, Primos Pizza, Thai Taste, Bandana's Bar-B-Q, and The Southern Illinois Collaborative Kitchen.
The club started with 75 dinners each night Monday through Saturday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. but needs to be able to serve 150 as they are running out of food.
Carpenter says the need is great as many families are having to provide more meals for their children each day now that they're home more often.
"Families were used to buying groceries for covering maybe supper or weekends, but now families are needing to cover meals all day plus snacks," she adds. "That's really eating away at budgets. Even if they are receiving snap benefits, that's making them not last as long because they are having to feed kids all day long."
The Club has received grants and donations to provide these dinners, but could use more donations to continue the service.
Carpenter says every dollar counts because it costs just $5 to provide one meal.
Those interested in donating can do so by going to the club's website and clicking on the "donate" button at the top of the web page.
