Food Drive Collects 1,579 Pounds for Galesburg Pantry
Community volunteers and local radio stations gathered food and cash for FISH of Galesburg on Saturday, Nov. 7.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Philanthropy
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A Community Food Drive collected 1,579 pounds of food and $2,292 in cash for FISH of Galesburg, a food pantry. WGIL and sister stations joined UPS and community volunteers at Hy-Vee and Walmart locations in Galesburg, and at Fareway in Monmouth.
Why it matters
FISH served 818 households in October, including 623 children, so the donations support a sustained local need. The cash will be used to buy food through River Bend Food Bank, where each dollar provides five times the purchasing power.
The drive collected 1,579 pounds of food and $2,292 in cash for FISH of Galesburg. Through River Bend Food Bank, each donated dollar gives FISH five times the purchasing power, and the source does not report how long the supplies will last.
The players
FISH of Galesburg
A food pantry in Galesburg that receives donations from community food drives and serves local households.
WGIL
A Galesburg radio station that joined the food drive along with sister stations FM95, KFM, The Laser and Z106.1.
River Bend Food Bank
A regional food bank whose purchasing program lets FISH of Galesburg buy food with donated cash at five times the value.
The details
Volunteers gathered donations Saturday, Nov. 7 outside both Hy-Vee stores and the Walmart Supercenter in Galesburg, and outside Fareway in Monmouth. Volunteers sorted the donations so they are ready for FISH guests.
Timeline
Saturday, Nov. 7: Community Food Drive held at Galesburg and Monmouth locations.
October: FISH served 818 households, including 623 children.
Saturday, Dec. 5: Next Community Food Drive at Galesburg locations and Hi-Lo Grocery in Abingdon.
Philanthropy Pipeline
The cash donations flow through River Bend Food Bank's purchasing program, which lets FISH of Galesburg buy food at five times the value of each dollar donated. This model uses a regional food bank as an intermediary so local drives multiply their impact beyond the goods collected on the day.
Residents who want to help can drop off food or cash at the Galesburg Hy-Vee and Walmart locations or Hi-Lo Grocery in Abingdon on Saturday, Dec. 5. Each dollar given through the drive stretches further because FISH buys food through River Bend Food Bank.
The takeaway
Donating cash alongside food lets local pantries stretch gifts further through bulk purchasing. Residents can plan to give at the next drive on Saturday, Dec. 5.
What happens next
The next Community Food Drive is Saturday, Dec. 5, at the Galesburg Hy-Vee and Walmart locations and Hi-Lo Grocery in Abingdon.
Further reading
For more on local giving, see Philanthropy coverage for Galesburg readers.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WGIL 93.7 FM - 1400 AM.
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