More than 160 shooters, generous sponsors, and dedicated volunteers came together to create our most successful Clay Shoot fundraiser ever.
More than 160 shooters gathered this year for our Central Illinois Clay Shoot Fundraiser, making the 2026 event the most successful in its history. Thanks to generous sponsors, dedicated volunteers, committee members, staff, and participants, the event raised nearly twice as much as last year’s Clay Shoot.
Every registration, sponsorship, raffle donation, and volunteer hour helped move our mission forward. Together, our community demonstrated what is possible when people unite to help families experiencing food insecurity.
A New Record in Support This Year
This year’s event reached a new milestone because of the commitment shown by businesses, families, and individuals throughout Central Illinois.
We were especially honored to welcome Sam Leman as our Diamond Sponsor. Their leadership helped set the tone for an incredible day of competition, fellowship, and generosity.
In addition to more than 160 shooters, the event received dozens of sponsorships at the Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels, along with generous donations for team awards, shooter prizes, and the popular gun case raffle. Every contribution played an important role in making this our highest revenue-producing Clay Shoot to date.
Thank You to Our 2026 Sponsors
Diamond Sponsor: Sam Leman
Gold Sponsor: Weiss Family
Silver Sponsors: Clarity Group, Plattner Asset Management, Heartland Fabrication, JJ Braker, Home Comfort
Bronze Sponsors:DSI Inc., PJ Hoerr, Trinity Stone, Kuna Food Service, Chick-fil-A, Lone Wolf Concrete
Prize and Award Sponsors:Ted Staker, Bass Pro Shops Peoria
We are grateful for every business, family, and individual who invested in this event. Your partnership continues to strengthen hunger relief throughoutour region.
Many local businesses continue to support this event year after year, while several new businesses joined us for the first time by sponsoring teams, hosting shooting groups, or making financial contributions. Whether you have partnered with us for many years or participated for the first time, your support makes a meaningful difference.
Volunteers Made the Difference
Fundraising events like this depend on people who generously give their time. Our fundraising committee, event volunteers, staff members, sponsors, and participants all contributed to the success of this year’s Clay Shoot.
Their planning, preparation, and willingness to serve helped create a welcoming experience for every participant while advancing Midwest Food Bank’s mission. We thank all our volunteers for making this event possible.
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Why All This Support Matters
Every dollar raised helps extend the reach of hunger relief. Midwest Food Bank converts every $1 donated into approximately $35 worth of food, allowing food to be distributed free of charge to nonprofit partners so they can also provide food at no cost to the families they serve.
Because of your generosity, we can support 380 nonprofit partners serving communities across more than 50 counties in Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Kentucky.
Every sponsorship, raffle ticket, and registration helps strengthen this network of partners working every day to meet the needs of their communities.
The success of the Central Illinois Clay Shoot Fundraiser belongs to everyone who participated. From sponsors and shooters to volunteers and donors, each person helped create an event that will continue supporting hunger relief long after the final round was fired.
Thank you for believing in our mission and for making the 2026 Clay Shoot our most successful event yet. Together, we are helping provide food, hope, and practical support to thousands of neighbors through our growing network of nonprofit partners.
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Helpful Resources
Learn more about Midwest Food Bank’s mission and impact:Â Midwest Food Bank Peoria
Explore volunteer opportunities through Golden:Â Golden Volunteer Opportunities
USDA hunger and nutrition resources:Â https://www.fns.usda.gov/
