Alton Pride's Annual Food Drive Collects Over 3,000 Items

ALTON – Alton Pride’s fourth annual Thanksgiving Food Drive Competition was a huge success. Twelve area businesses and organizations participated in the competition, which ran from October 27 to November 16. A total of 3,007 non-perishable food items were donated over the three weeks.

Partnering again with MMK Endeavors, the donated items were sorted, bagged and paired with turkeys to make Thanksgiving meals for families in the Riverbend Area and surrounding communities. This year, a total of 50 meals were distributed through Riverbend Head Start & Family Services, and another 25 were delivered directly to families in Alton. Items left over after making the bags were donated to local food pantries.

The competition's winner, having collected 989 items, was Pete’s Lounge. This is the fourth year in a row that Pete’s Lounge has won, making them a Champion Top Turkey Winner! Pete’s Lounge is at 100 Big Arch Rd, Godfrey, IL 62035, near Alton Square Mall. Owner Mike Sholar takes pride in his menu and the fact that there is something for everyone, from delicious dinner specials to incredible drinks and entertaining video gaming. Anyone 21 or older is encouraged to drop by Pete’s Lounge — and tell them, “WAY TO GIVE BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY!”

Be sure to say a special thank you to our other participants in the competition, including several first-timers: Norb’s Tavern, Schwegel’s,St John’s United Church of Christ in Brighton, Brighton Memorial Library, Mister Donut, Chez Marilyn, Firehouse, Hayner Library Uptown, Functional Fitness Images, and Toddle Towne Learning Centers in Alton and East Alton.

Dedicated to our simple mission of COMMUNITY • CONNECTION • COMPASSION — Alton Pride strives to build a strong and vibrant LGBTQ+ community, connect with our neighbors, and care for those in need through our events and activities. If you recently made a goal to give back and get more involved with your community, we invite you to join us! Check out AltonPride.com to see who we are and what we currently do in the community. If you want to learn more about these volunteer opportunities, please email your contact information to info@AltonPride.com.

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