EAST MOLINE, Ill. — Employees at Kunes Ford of East Moline spent Monday afternoon packing bags of non-perishable food items to donate to River Bend Food Bank.
It's part of a Trade in for Hunger event across Kunes dealerships in four states to donate more than 27,000 meal kits to help families facing food insecurity.
River Bend Food Bank will receive 576 bags of canned and boxed goods.
"If you really look at it, the community of one, that's what it's about. We're about helping other people," said salesman Peter Lohmann. "Because of the supply chain that you see right now, people have problems and families are just in need, even families that a year ago didn't need it."
In recent months, River Bend Food Bank has noted a 60% increase of families in need in the Quad City area. It normally serves around 300-400 families a month, but that number is now closer to 500-700.
"Just to have the opportunity to tangibly help out our community in a very matter-of-fact way is phenomenal," said regional comptroller Tom Roche.
As part of the bag packing, Kunes employees were competing this week to see who could pack all 576 bags the fastest. It took the East Moline employees 49 minutes to bag all the food and pack it in 144 boxes.
This was the first year of the Trade in for Hunger event, but employees are hoping to hold another in the fall.