PEORIA ( 25News Now ) - Sophia’s Kitchen, a nonprofit in Peoria, served its highest number of attendees, with a record of 11,909 people since it began feeding those in need in 2010.

The program director, Claire Crone, said normally the soup kitchen serves around 8,000 people per month.

Yet, she said a lot of people are saying their SNAP Benefits cuts and their personal bills increasing, they’re in need now for food.

25News spoke with a man who didn’t reveal his name, but went to the kitchen for the first time Thursday morning. He said he recently lost his job and is homeless, and said motels got too expensive, as he was paying $1,200 a month.

The attendee said a hot meal means everything because he was unsure about what his Thursday meal would be, and believes there is an “inaccurate

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