PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — With sizzling temperatures around the corner, most people are already stocked up on sunscreen and other summer essentials, but a coalition of local food pantries is making sure the less fortunate are also ready to ‘Beat the Heat.’
Food Pantry Network Heart of Illinois (HOI) is collecting summer essentials for its ‘Beat the Heat’ campaign. Community members are encouraged to buy a bag and fill it with essentials like sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, lip balm, bug spray, sports drinks and water, then drop it off at their local food pantry.
“Food pantries can do a lot more than just provide food, and something that they noticed in the summers, was first, they don’t get as many donations that come in in summertime, and secondarily, there is a large uptick in the number of people coming in,” said Rebecca Crumrine, SNAP-Ed educator at University of Illinois Extension.
According to the CDC, more than 1,200 Americans are killed by extreme heat every year. But when families are forced to choose between buying food or paying utilities, weather-related essentials are not on their priority list.
“So it’s more about helping them to free up some of their finances, some of their other needs, to pay for other items and also keep themselves protected,” said Crumrine. “We definitely don’t want to see anyone in a position where they’re getting heat illness or having any more complications due to heat.”
‘Beat the Heat’ goes through the end of June.
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