URBANA, Ill. (WAND) – Food insecurity is facing a growing number of families across Central Illinois. The Eastern Illinois Foodbank is seeing demand for its services hitting record levels.

“We are unfortunately seeing historic levels of sustained need right now,” Amanda Borden of the Eastern Illinois Foodbank told WAND News. “Operation Orange is our most exciting and biggest volunteer event of the year."

Operation Orange brings in 250 volunteers to help repackage food for distribution. During a single day of operation at the Urbana facility on Thursday, volunteers were going to repackage 20,000 pounds of food. That is the equivalent of about 16,000 meals.

The Eastern Illinois Foodbank serves 21 counties in Illinois. The food will be distributed to food pantries in all 21 counties.

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