Support hunger relief on your IL state tax form
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Tax Check-off Program will again help feed the hungry throughout Illinois
This tax season you can again give back while completing your income tax form by donating to hunger relief efforts across Illinois. The tax check-off program, now in its second year, makes it easier to donate at a time of sustained demand for emergency food.
The Illinois Hunger Study, released by Feeding America in January 2010, found that regional food banks serve 2,000 food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters, providing emergency food to more than 1.4 million residents throughout the state - or 1 in 10 men, women and children. In the bi-state area alone, the St. Louis Area Foodbank supplies food to 124 agencies in 12 Illinois counties.
By checking off "Hunger Relief" listed in Schedule G and entering your contribution amount on Line i, your donation will benefit Feeding Illinois (www.feedingillinois.org), a coalition of the eight Feeding America food banks covering the entire state of Illinois. The entire check-off amount you donate will directly support feeding programs across Illinois.
To remain on the tax form each year, total donations from residents must reach at least $100,000. There is no limit to the amount an individual can donate.
"Feeding Illinois is honored to be part of the tax check-off program again this year, helping raise money for - and awareness of - hunger issues" said Tracy Smith, state director of Feeding Illinois. "We continue to see increased demand and strive to find innovative ways to help people in need. Having additional resources to do so will make an enormous difference."
Every day, Feeding Illinois food banks provide access to healthy and nutritious food. As the need has continued to rise over the last few years, food banks are under enormous pressure to feed a growing number of people. The tax check-off enables Illinois residents to have a direct impact in fighting hunger in their state.
Food banks in Illinois provide food for a broad cross-section of households:
42% of the members of households in Illinois are children under 18 years old
9% of the members of households are children age 0 to 5 years.
4% of the members of households are elderly.
About 40% of clients are non-Hispanic white, 41% are non-Hispanic black, 16% are Hispanic, and the rest are from other racial groups.
38% of households include at least one employed adult.
71% have incomes below the federal poverty level during the previous month.
6% are homeless.
Feeding Illinois member food banks include:
Central Illinois Foodbank
Eastern Illinois Foodbank
Greater Chicago Food Depository
Northern Illinois Food Bank
Peoria Area Food Bank
River Bend Foodbank
St. Louis Area Foodbank
(The St. Louis Area Foodbank will distribute the food to its partner agencies, such as the food pantries, homeless shelters and soup kitchens we partner with in Chester, Steeleville, and surrounding areas)
Tri-State Foodbank
Feeding Illinois is a coalition of eight Feeding America food banks providing food to nearly 2,000 food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters that feed nearly 900,000 residents across the state of Illinois. Feeding Illinois is committed to educating people about the role of food banks in addressing hunger and raising awareness of the need to devote more resources and attention to hunger issues. Feeding Illinois is made up of the Central Illinois Foodbank, Eastern Illinois Foodbank, the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Northern Illinois Food Bank, the Peoria Area Food Bank, River Bend Foodbank, the St. Louis Area Foodbank and Tri-State Foodbank.