STERLING, Illinois — In Illinois, one in 12 people faces hunger, according to Feeding America, and the need is only growing. As SNAP benefits are brought back to pre-pandemic levels, more families are struggling to put food on the table and one area food bank is doing its part to help combat the surge.
Every Saturday, the Sauk Valley Food Bank in Sterling gives out a week's worth of food to more than 400 families.
"Without us, there's a lot of families that might go hungry throughout the week, and I can't do that," Sauk Valley Food Bank executive director Pam Martinez said. "My heart is to be able to give back to the community and to give in an abundance of what I've been given throughout my life."
Some have to make a choice nobody would ever want to.
"It's do I pay a bill or do I feed my family? And they don't know which way to go," said Patricia Marshall, who was picking up food for four families today that couldn't make it to the bank.
Another man named Alex was picking up food for him, his girlfriend and his three-year-old daughter.
"Honestly, I don't know what I would do without it," Alex said. "When we're running short or whatever, we're just looking forward to Saturday because we know we can come over here."
The food bank receives a majority of its food from the Riverbend Food Bank in Davenport and a Walmart distribution center in Sterling. All food received by patrons on Saturdays is completely free, and anyone is eligible.
Watch more news, weather and sports on News 8's YouTube channel