Will You Be Our
Valentine? Wednesday • February 11, 2026
DO YOU
?
SCAN WITH
PHONE CAMERA FOR
Take our short audience survey and help us better understand the people we serve — and ENTER TO WIN A $100 GIFT CARD.
SURVEY
Illinois launches $1.5 million farm to food bank grant program By HANNAH SPANGLER FarmWeek Applications open Feb. 6 for Illinois’ new $1.5 million Farm to Food Bank Capacity-Building Grant Program, designed to strengthen the state’s local food system and expand access to fresh protein and produce. “We’re looking for farmers, ag producers, food banks, food pantries and community partners all looking for help with infrastructure,” said Sharon Dodd, an administrator of the program, about who can apply for the grants of $1,000 to $100,000. The goal is to help farmers and food providers build the capacity they need to move more Illinois‑grown, raised or processed agricultural products to “neighbors” facing food insecurity, especially in underserved areas and communities. The announcement came on the first day of the From Food to Flowers: Everything Local Conference Jan. 28 in Springfield. Specialty and conventional growers gathered at the three‑day event, along with state officials, food bank representatives and other stakeholders who could be part of the capacity grant program. The set of grants is part of the Illinois Farm to Food Bank (IL‑F2FB) Program, supported by funding from the State of Illinois through the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). Originally developed through state legislation in 2017 and 2018, the program evolved into a statewide pilot by 2020 and laid the groundwork for partnerships that helped Illinois move surplus food from farms to food banks. In its first three years, from 2020 to 2023, the program helped move 3 million pounds of food that otherwise
might have gone to waste, according to Feeding Illinois, which partnered with the state and Illinois Farm Bureau during the pilot. Dodd said the effort proved farmers were willing to participate, but many lacked basic infrastructure needed to harvest, store, process or transport food destined for donation. Those capacity gaps are what the new grants aim to address. Farmers in the pilot often struggled with cold storage, aggregation space or equipment to efficiently collect and move surplus goods. Food banks, for their part, relied on temporary systems that weren’t built for long-term use. Dodd said the new funding is meant to support permanent infrastructure, whether at a farm, a food pantry or elsewhere in the supply chain. “Whoever gets the grant money will implement something that will last,” Dodd told FarmWeek. “It has to be sustainable.” Eligible projects focus on infrastructure that improves the movement of Illinois‑grown food, including refrigerated vehicles or trailers, cold storage, racking, temperature‑monitoring systems, packaging equipment and scheduling or traceability tools that reduce waste and improve flow. Routine operating costs, debt repayment, land acquisition and fundraising or administrative expenses are not allowable. Frequently asked questions and detailed guidelines can be found at feedingillinois.org/capacitygrant. Feeding Illinois will host three virtual office‑hour sessions on its social media channels from 11 a.m. to noon Feb. 11, 18 and 25, where participants can ask questions about the capacity‑grant process, eligibility, timelines and allowable costs. Additional questions may be directed
The Towle Theater kicks off 23rd season with a bubbly jukebox musical comedy, The Marvelous Wonderettes. The Towle Theater is pleased to open their 2026 Season with The Marvelous Wonderettes written and created by Roger Bean. The production is Directed by TJ Bird, Music Direction by John Phillips and Choreography by Melanie Greyson. The Marvelous Wonderettes is a jukebox musical comedy bursting with close harmonies and nonstop ‘50s and ‘60s hits. Set at the 1958 Springfield High School prom, the show follows four girls—Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy, and Suzy—as they dream big, sing bigger, and charm the audience with classics like “Mr. Sandman,” “Lollipop,”and “It’s My Party.” What begins as an innocent night of teenage hopes unfolds into a heartfelt celebration of friendship, love, and the power of music as the Wonderettes reunite years later to revisit their past. Sweet, funny, and irresistibly toe-tapping, The Marvelous Wonderettes is a nostalgic treat for all ages. Making her Towle debut is Mai Hartwich (Chicago, IL). Returning to the
Towle are Madison Meeron (Chicago, IL ) Taylor Morris (Chicago, IL), and Lauren Reece (Chicago, IL). The Marvelous Wonderettes runs Feb 27–28, March 1, 6–8, 13–15. Fridays 7:30pm, Saturdays 7:30pm & Sundays 2pm.The box office opens 1 hour prior to performance time. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Reservations must be paid for in advance. They are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Group rates are available. There is no late seating. Please arrive no later than 15 minutes prior to curtain. If you arrive after curtain, you will not be seated until intermission. The Towle Theater is located in beautiful downtown Hammond at 5205 Hohman Avenue. Due to major renovations happening in Downtown Hammond parking is available right in front of the building on Hohman Avenue as well as the gravel lot located on Sibley. For more information call 219-937-8780 or visit www.towletheater.org.
to grants@feedingillinois.org. The application for 2026 grants will be available on Feeding Illinois’ website through March 6, with awards announced April 10. Once awarded, grantees must pay eligible project costs upfront and will be reimbursed afterward. Michelle Hansen with IDHS said although the application process can feel tedious, working through it and putting a detailed plan in place can ultimately benefit farms and other businesses in the long run. “You’re making sure you’re going to get this money in hope that the pounds you’re producing now will double or triple in the years to come,” she told FarmWeek. A McLean County farmer attending the conference to learn more about the grants has been direct‑marketing meat for more than 20 years. James Toohill, who raises cattle and pigs, said it is “nice to finally see” a program like this becoming a priority. “That’s awesome that there’s that much money being floated to this kind of stuff,” he said. “Whoever gets this grant is going to put it to some good use. That’s what farmers do.” This story was distributed through a cooperative project between Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Press Association. For more food and farming news, visit FarmWeekNow.com. This story was distributed through a cooperative project between Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Press Association. For more food and farming news, visit FarmWeekNow.com.
Heart Smart RICHARD ZEKVELD The second petition of the Lord’s Prayer is “Your kingdom come.” God has always been High King, the Absolute Monarch, over his world. He made it, so he owns it and everything in it. That includes you and me. “The earth is the LORD’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1, NIV84). God created our first parents, Adam and Eve, in his image to represent him on earth and to rule creation in his name, under him. This includes the call to cultivate creation and culture for the glory of God and the good of all. Then Satan showed up and said, “All this I will give you... if you bow down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9, NIV84). Actually, he said these words to Jesus centuries later, to tempt him to claim God’s throne for himself. But that’s essentially what Satan tempted Adam and Eve to do as well. When they listened to Satan, they handed
themselves and their God-given authority over to him. That day, Satan became the oppressive occupier of earth and its kingdoms. An illustration from World War II: In the early 1940’s, Adolf Hitler conquered most of Europe. Millions came under his oppressive rule. But on June 6, 1944, paratroopers dropped from the sky onto Hitler’s turf. Thus began the invasion to liberate millions from Hitler’s tyranny to live under their rightful rulers again. In the same way the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem was a D-Day invasion. Like a paratrooper, Jesus dropped into occupied territory to confront Satan and to liberate us and all creation to thrive under God’s rightful rule again. He will complete his kingdom mission on V-Day, when he returns at the end of time. Richard Zekveld, Pastor Covenant Fellowship Church cfcsh.org