Eastern’s faculty union helped organize the distribution of two tons of food Thursday to low-income individuals and families.

The University Professionals of Illinois and the Mideastern Illinois Labor Council are organizing the food bank in memory of Rich Dulka, who died in 2001.

Dulka helped organize the MILC, an umbrella union composed of 11 campus unions and other local groups, said UPI president David Radavich.

The food bank receives food from a Champaign distributor that provides the food bank with items such as cans that appear dirty on the outside or have approaching expiration dates, said associate sociology professor Diane Schaefer.

“One time we got a couple of 50-pound blocks of frozen bacon,” she said.

Schaefer is helping organize the event. She said students from her sociology class will likely distribute food.

“From my social problems class, we’ve been talking about poverty. Service learning is going out to the community and learning better,” she said.

Sophomore speech communication major Deanna Andrews said the food bank is different compared to past volunteer work she has done because of the nature of help it offers.

“I have never worked a food drive where they come to us,” Andrews said. “It’s a unique opportunity for me to spend my time.”

Shaefer said any union can be a member of the MILC to form a cooperation Dulka believed in.

“Rich noticed the need to be able to coordinate the unions — that meant we were more effective,” she said. “We just want to keep Rich’s memory alive.”

She said anyone can receive food from the food bank, but there are federal guidelines families or individuals must meet before the food is distributed.

The food often goes to people who are used to supporting themselves, Shaefer said.

“Some people don’t want to take the food for free, and they would work the whole day and then take the food,” she said.

The event has served 300 to 400 individuals in the past, Radavich said.

“It’s just really an important social outreach at the time, especially with the economic downturn now,” he said.

The food bank has been organized in years past, but the event Thursday will be the third one held in Dulka’s memory, Schaefer said.

The food bank will be from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Thursday, next to St. Charles Church at 921 Madison Ave. in Charleston.