by: Sean Lisitza
Posted: Jul 25, 2023 / 02:15 PM CDT
Updated: Jul 25, 2023 / 08:36 PM CDT
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Nayak Farms made a special donation to the Peoria Area Food Bank Tuesday.
According to a Mayak Farms news release, the farms are donating about 11 tons of Sweet Corn.
The Nayak Farms is located in Gardner, Il., and donates a portion of its yield each harvest to food banks across Illinois.
The farm’s owner, Dr. Dave Nayak, was born in Peoria.
“We at Nayak Farms are deeply committed to tackling food insecurity in Illinois and the Midwest,” Nayak said. “The Peoria Area Food Bank has special meaning, as I was born in Peoria, Il. As a proud Central Illinoisan, Peoria Area Food Bank serves many food-insecure who do not know where their next meal may come from. We hope that our model will help incentivize more farmers throughout our wonderful state and beyond to donate their yield or yield-equivalent to our Food Banks. Because at the end of the day, we all have an inherent responsibility to be a good neighbor to those around us in our communities.”
Peoria Area Food Bank Manager Wayne Cannon thanked Nayak Farms for the big donation.
“On behalf of the Peoria Area Food Bank, the three counties we serve (Peoria, Tazewell and Mason) the 85 food pantries we service and the more than 45,000 food insecure people living in our community, we want to say thank you to Nayak Farms,” Cannon said. “Their generous gift of almost 11 tons of fresh sweet corn will provide a tasty snack, a nutritious side dish or to some the only meal they’ll have today. It is a real pleasure to be a part of Nayak Farms initiative to provide fresh produce to families with low incomes, those living in food deserts and to those who have never savored the taste of hot, sweet corn with butter and a pinch of salt. Nayak Farms’ donation to the Peoria Area Food Bank is appreciated and welcomed.”
Nayak Farms helped feed 100,000 people in 2022 by making donations to Illinois Food Banks under the Feeding Illinois Umbrella.
They were also recognized at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health for their dedication and pledge to fight food insecurity in Illinois.
More information on Nayak Farms is available on its website.