Urbana, IL – December 21, 2020 – Apex Clean Energy today announced a $60,000 donation to Eastern Illinois Foodbank to fund the operations of a mobile food pantry truck that will distribute food across 18 Illinois counties. This funding comes through a joint contribution from four area wind farms in development: Goose Creek Wind in Piatt County, Ford Ridge Wind in Ford County, Diamond Grove Wind in McLean County, and Coles Wind in Coles County.

As the primary source of food for a network of more than 170 pantries and feeding programs across 18 counties, Eastern Illinois Foodbank (EIF) is a vital resource for those living with food insecurity in eastern Illinois. Molly Delaney, Vice President of Development for EIF, said: “During a normal year, our foodmobile program distributes more than 600,000 pounds of food to nearly 25,000 individuals. As the need increases this fall, we know more mobile distributions are needed—especially in rural communities without enough pantry support. This donation will support the operations of the truck for the next three years, allowing us to serve even more residents in rural and underserved communities.”

Public Engagement Manager Max Jabrixio praised EIF’s work, saying, “Apex Clean Energy develops and operates renewable energy projects in many counties throughout Illinois, and Eastern Illinois Foodbank provides a vital service for thousands of people in communities where we work. This mobile food pantry creates a unique opportunity for several Apex wind projects to make a joint donation with a cumulatively larger impact. Sustainability is an Apex core value, and we are proud to give back to the community through a program that helps sustain families throughout the region, from Monticello to Mattoon to Sibley. In these unprecedented times, the demand for emergency food distribution has only increased, so this donation will make an immediate impact and also support this program for years to come.”