The University Professionals of Illinois and the Mideastern Illinois Labor Council distributed food to an unusually low number of families at a food bank last Thursday.

Associate sociology professor Diane Schaefer said the low turnout was due to minimal advertising throughout the community.

“The ad didn’t get into the Times-Courier,” Schaefer said. “Not many families knew about it.”

The low turnout meant a surplus of food at the end of the day. Schaefer said the extra food was passed out to different agencies such as St.Charles Church and the Sexual Assault Counseling and Information Service.

“We picked up crackers and little boxes of cereal,” Karen Armstrong, a member of SACIS, said. “They will be used as snacks at our support groups.”

Schaefer invited students in her sociology class to help distribute food. She wanted them to see the “inequality in society between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots.'”

“Students cannot only read about it in a textbook; they can be out in the community and see how the community deals with it,” she said.

The food bank was organized in memory of Rich Dulka, who died in 2001. Dulka was the original founder of the council.

“This is the way he wanted to be remembered,” MILC member Bill Hollada said. “We will probably have another food bank in April.”

The UPI and the council hold six to seven food banks in a year, he said.

Thursday’s food bank was the third held in Dulka’s memory, Schaefer said.

The drive distributed food, shampoo and cleaning products it receives as donations or surplus from several companies throughout the state. Anywhere from one to 10 tons of food and supplies is distributed at each event, he said.

The food banks are open to struggling families throughout the community. However, certain federal income guidelines must be met for families to receive help, Hollada said.

“Families range in age from their 20s to their 80s. We have helped thousands of people who are struggling,” Hollada said.