PRINCETON, Illinois-- More than 60 thousand pounds of sweet corn will head to Illinois's food banks.
On August 5th, farmers and volunteers harvested their first batch of sweet corn for Sweet Corn for Charity at Rapp Farms in Bureau County.
The fresh sweet corn was loaded onto trucks and sent to the River Bend Food Bank, Northern Illinois Food Bank, and the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Some trucks will head straight to Chicago to help feed those in need in the inner cities.
"One of the discussions that we had were about the food deserts in the cities and that people in the inner cities weren’t able to get fresh vegetables," says Jim Rapps.
Jim Rapp learned about the groups efforts more than five years ago and decided to team up the founders of the charity, Trade Group.
Sweet Corn for Charity was first founded more than 5 years ago by the group.
They met with about 5 farmers to talk about bringing fresh corn to help feed the hungry in inner cities.
"It is a wonderful thing for us we get a great thrill helping people in need of help," says Chris Manns of Trade group.
The Greater Chicago Food Depository receives the largest donation of produce from Sweet Corn of Charity.