Pop-Up Food Pantry Serves Hundreds of Children in Champaign-Urbana Area
A pop-up food pantry called Wee CU Pantry for Kids serves hundreds of children and families in the Champaign-Urbana area. Organizer Jerelle Leeks created the program after SNAP benefit changes left many clients struggling to meet new requirements.
Champaign-Urbana Community Responds to SNAP Benefit Changes With Pop-Up Food Pantry
"Now you're in a situation where you need. And one thing the human body needs is to eat, point blank, period."
A pop-up food pantry is making its way through different communities in Champaign-Urbana, providing food and essentials to local families affected by SNAP benefit changes.
The Wee CU Pantry for Kids aims to feed children across different communities in the area. Organizer Jerelle Leeks said he felt compelled to help others after requirements for SNAP benefits were changed at the beginning of the year.
"Everybody is not in a position to get these types of things done, at least not immediately," Leeks said.
Community Leader Driven by Concern
As a Case Manager at the Strides Shelter of Champaign County and a Life Coach at C-U at Home, Leeks said he had multiple clients who were scared about what the changes would mean for them.
The pantry doesn't just provide food and essentials. It also provides shoes, clothes, coats, jackets, and toys and books for children. To Leeks, the pantry is beyond filling a basic need. It is about healing.
"To produce a better functioning adult in society, what if we just narrow down and trickle down the things the children didn't get as kids that they might have needed?"
First Pantry Success
At their first pantry, Leeks served 232 people. Of those people, 125 were children. The service addressed immediate needs while building a support network for families in the Champaign-Urbana area.
Volunteer Opportunity
If people need to get volunteer hours to qualify for SNAP, Leeks said they can help out with the pop-up pantries. This creates an opportunity for community members to contribute to the effort while potentially meeting program requirements.
Next Pantry Date
Every month, the pop-up pantry will be in a new community. The next pop-up pantry will be at 5 p.m. on June 19 at Fountain Valley in Rantoul.
The Wee CU Pantry for Kids continues to expand its reach across Central Illinois, addressing food insecurity while building community support for families facing challenges with benefit requirements.