KHQA Hometown Hero makes gigantic difference in "mini" ways
QUINCY, Ill. — A Tri-State native has taken giant leaps to address hunger in the area.
It all started with small acts that have multiplied throughout the area.
KHQA's Rajah Maples introduces you to this month’s Hometown Hero on behalf of our sponsors Peters Heating and Air and Hilbing Autobody.
“I’m shocked," Tracy Kiefer said when surprised with KHQA Hometown Hero award. "I’m surprised, and nd I am extremely honored. Never expected it.”
You might not know or recognize Kiefer, but her unseen acts of kindness, generosity and compassion are recognized by countless residents throughout the Tri-States.
“There’s a lot of hunger," she explained. "One of the things that I do are these little mini-food pantries. I started in 2018."
Four years later, mini-food pantries have popped up throughout the Quincy and Adams County area to provide much-needed nutrition to people in need.
“I think there are 14 or 15 now," Kiefer said. "We were doing it for the kids, the neighborhood kids who could walk up and get something out. As I started doing it, I noticed there were a lot of seniors that were using them. There was a lot of homeless in our community that uses them.”
Kiefer said the established food pantries in the Quincy area do a great job at feeding the hungry.
However, she said transportation and a rise in costs can become roadblocks for many people in need.
“More recently, I’ve noticed that just because food prices, gas prices, everything has gone up," Kiefer said. "People’s income has not. They are using them to make it through the month. To make it through the end of the week, and so they are extremely important. Little kids can walk up to these and just get something out that they need, and the homeless a lot of times, too. They don’t have to ask anybody. They can just go up and get what they need out of them.”
On behalf of our sponsors Peters Heating and Air and Hilbing Autobody, that’s what makes Tracy Keifer this month’s KHQA Hometown Hero.
If you know of someone making a difference in your community whom you'd like to nominate for a KHQA Hometown Hero award, nominate them here.
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