Quinn urges Ill. residents to donate to food banks

[November 27, 2013]  CHICAGO (AP) — Gov. Pat Quinn is calling on Illinois residents to help someone in need this Thanksgiving by giving time or money to a local food bank.

The Chicago Democrat stopped by the Greater Chicago Food Depository on Tuesday to help volunteers prepare meals for families in need.

Feeding Illinois is the association for the state's food banks. The group says there are more than 1.9 million people statewide who don't have access to nutritious food.

According to a release from Quinn's office, Feeding Illinois says its network of 2,000 pantries, shelters and soup kitchens distributed 120 million pounds of food to residents in 2011.

Quinn says "No family should ever go hungry in Illinois."

He also announced a holiday food drive in the James R. Thompson Center downtown Chicago.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.