Belvidere Township urged to help county food pantry financially

Now a longtime resident of the township, Cathy Ward, is suggesting the township should honor that request.

“They say they want to help the community and they’ve got the money, so why not spend it?” she asked Thursday, during an interview. “Belvidere Township has more than half of all the Boone County residents and the biggest percentage of those in poverty live there.”

During her appearance before the board, Clark said the food pantry feeds residents of Belvidere Township and the other eight townships, too. So far only Poplar Grove Township has stepped up, most recently donating $2,000.

The Belvidere Township board recently tried to buy the old Eagle’s Club building on Locust Avenue. The plan was to lease it to the Belvidere YMCA, which would use the facility for additional youth programming. But the electorate overwhelmingly rejected the purchase.

It was said more than once during special town meetings on the acquisition that the township had the money with which to make the purchase.

As an extension of that, Ward, a Boone County Board member, said the township could help young people by spending some of its money on feeding youngsters who are in need. “I will continue to pursue this,” she said.

She wrote a letter to the township board of trustees, dated Oct. 9, which read, in part:

“I don’t pretend to know all the fact behind your finances, but I have to believe that you have funds available to help the hungry in our community, judging from several recently publicized plans and previous news stories.

“I know that government bodies are also coming to you, asking for your help as you seem to have more available money than most government and not-for-profit groups.”

Ward wrote that she and her husband, Mike, have been residents of Belvidere Township for more than 40 years. “We would certainly hope that you will be generous to this worth group in Boone County,” she stated. “I have been to this pantry and their fund-raisers many, many times. They are dedicated volunteers, going above and beyond to help those less fortunate.”

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