Schweickert Ganassin Krzak Rundio, LLP (SGKR) and the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp announced a $2,700 donation to the Illinois Valley Food Pantry in La Salle for the 2023 baseball season.

“We are always looking for ways to give back to the community,” said Pistol Shrimp General Manager June Keeley. “When SGKR approached us prior to last season with the idea, we knew it was the perfect way to create awareness for an important cause in the Illinois Valley,”

The Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp belted 27 home runs out of Schweickert Stadium in Peru during the 2023 season. Prior to the season, SGKR pledged to donate $100 to the Illinois Valley Food Pantry for every home run hit by Pistol Shrimp at home.

“We wanted to give back to the community and help the food pantry because hunger should be everybody’s business,” said Mike Krzak of SGKR. “If we all give a little or give what we can, then we can help defeat hunger in the Illinois Valley,”

The donation going to the food pantry now helps with the upcoming holiday season.

“This is a good time of year [for donations] with Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner,” said Illinois Valley Food Pantry Executive Director Mary Jo Credi. “We are a year-round organization helping the hungry in our community. Every penny, every piece of food that the Illinois Valley Food Pantry receives stays in our community to feed our community, and the need is getting greater and greater as we speak,”

To support the Illinois Valley Food Pantry, drop off donations of food or money at 122 Wright St. in La Salle during working hours or donate time by volunteering.

More information can be found at ivfoodpantry.com.