URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — September is Hunger Action Month, and food banks across the country are raising awareness and talking about ways to end hunger.

That includes the Eastern Illinois Foodbank in Urbana. It held its largest event of the year on Thursday: Operation Orange, named after the color connected to hunger awareness. About 200 volunteers gave their time at the EIF warehouse to package food for delivery.

The United States Department of Agriculture donated potatoes and canned goods, among other food, through they’re commodity program. Katie Fidler, who has been volunteering for the organization for five years, said it feels good to see her work benefit local counties.

“You see it every day,” she said. “Whenever we first started, I was doing repacks of some of the actual food bags, and they mentioned tomorrow’s Ford County. There’s Edgar County, there’s everywhere. My family lives in those communities. They’re impacted as well, or their neighbors may need this too.” 

People who want to continue to help can also donate money to Eastern Illinois Foodbank during Hunger Action month. The food bank said they can feed two people a day for every dollar donated. They are trying to raise $40,000 this month, for the 40 years they’ve been fighting hunger.

The Eastern Illinois Foodbank serves 18 counties and said more than 100,000 people in Eastern Illinois are facing hunger.