EDWARDSVILLE - The Glen-Ed Food Pantry received a huge boost recently with a sizable donation from proceeds from the CHRISTmas Ugly Sweater 5K race from Trinity Lutheran Ministries.
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The total amount of the donation to the Glen-Ed Food Pantry was about $7,000, race organizers said.
The race was held in December in Downtown Edwardsville and had a strong following after a two-year break. Last year’s race was virtual-only and this year that option still existed, but most turned out for the race in their ugliest sweater.
Jane Ahasay, director of development for the Glen-Ed Food Pantry, at 125 Fifth Street in Edwardsville, was ecstatic at the donation from the CHRISTmas Ugly Sweater 5K.
The Glen-Ed Food Pantry provides nutritious food and resources that individuals need to thrive in difficult times.
The Glen-Ed Food Pantry is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization governed by a board of directors. The pantry serves residents in the Edwardsville School District 7, which includes communities of Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Hamel, Worden, Midway, Moro, Dorsey, and Prairietown.
Ahasay said she was humbled and grateful at the significant donation from the December race. Ahasay is also involved with several Christmas activities in Bethalto and devotes much of her time to volunteer community service work. She said this type of work gives her great satisfaction at this stage of her life.
She said the funds from the race helped at a critical time in the holiday season for the pantry.
“We have been seeing an influx of more than 30 people a month coming in and we know additional benefits for some people have stopped during COVID. People are experiencing a larger cost of going to the grocery store and gas pumps. We are having many people who need some additional assistance to make it through. We also did some additional Christmas items for people who needed it.”
Ahasay said the race funds made a big difference for people during the Christmas season and beyond in the Edwardsville-Glen Carbon area.
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