Our Daily Show Interview! Getting to Know: Glen-Ed Food Pantry
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EDWARDSVILLE/GLEN CARBON - The Glen-Ed Pantry’s Brown Bag Buddies program will start up next week.
Throughout the summer, families can pick up five breakfasts and five lunches every Monday morning for their child. Families must live in the Edwardsville Community Unit School District #7.
“Summers get tough,” said Jane Ahasay, the pantry’s executive director. “Kids get two free meals a day at school, so they’re getting breakfast and lunch at school. Now, it’s dependent upon that parent to provide two extra meals a day.”
The Glen-Ed Pantry aims to lessen this burden by providing nutritious meals and snacks each week. From June 1 through Aug. 10, 2026, families can pick up food from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. every Monday.
There are four distribution sites: the Glen-Ed Pantry, Hamel Elementary School, Worden Elementary School and University Flats. Ahasay asks families to go to the distribution site closest to them.
Any child ages 0 through 18 who lives in the Edwardsville School District is eligible for the Brown Bag Buddies program.
Pickup is drive-thru only, and families are asked to have their children in the car when possible. There are no alternative dates or locations.
Ahasay noted that families get an extra $120 per child in SNAP benefits for the summer, but she believes that isn't nearly enough for most parents.
“If you’ve had a 14-year-old boy, $120 goes maybe two weeks if you’re lucky, especially with food prices now,” she said.
The pantry hopes its Brown Bag Buddies program will provide the extra help families need during the summer.
The Glen-Ed Pantry is also encouraging gardeners to “plant an extra row” of produce to donate to the pantry this year. Ahasay explained that clients come to the pantry on Wednesdays to pick up fresh fruits and vegetables, which often “helps get them through,” especially during the summer months.
If your garden is overflowing, consider bringing extras to the pantry. They are always looking for volunteers and donations so they can help more people in the region.
If you have any questions about how to receive assistance from the Glen-Ed Pantry or how to qualify for the Brown Bag Buddies program, you can visit the pantry’s official website or call it at (618) 656-7506.
“We want to make sure that we’re getting these children fed proper, nutritious meals through the summer to keep their brains active and to keep them healthy and well,” Ahasay added.
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