PEORIA HEIGHTS, Ill. — When Peoria Heights mom Jennifer Harris first received a phone call from a representative of Illinois Family Farmers in October informing her she had won $5,000 worth of free groceries – considered one year’s average consumption for a typical family – she thought she was being pranked.

“I thought it was a hoax,” she admitted. “I had already forgotten about registering online for the contest.”

Harris, her husband, Scott, and four children realized the call was genuine when Rob Shaffer, board secretary for the Illinois Soybean Assoc. (ISA), presented the family with a ceremonial check and $5,000 in grocery gift cards Nov. 27 at the Save-A-Lot grocery in Peoria Heights. Afterward, Harris was effusive in both her happiness and her praise for farmers.

“I really appreciate the farmers. They are hard workers – I don’t know how they manage to do it. They take care of their crops and their animals every single day of the year; it’s a dedication,” said Harris. “We truly appreciate this award to our family. It’s going to free up a lot of cash normally spent on groceries for other things. We’re really excited.”

Shaffer and his son, Bobby, 6, drove from their home at Shaffer Farms in El Paso, Ill., to present the prize to Harris and her family. “The contest is a good way for us to give back and show people what we do,” he said. “We had around 135,000 people enter the contest.”

Scott said the $5,000 in free groceries means for the next year his kids will enjoy more nutritious lunches than those typically offered at their schools.

The family will be able to pack their lunchboxes with his kids’ favorites, such as ham sandwiches, fruit cups, peanut butter products and Jell-O cups, he noted.

“We struggle to meet bills from paycheck to paycheck, and this is going to help tremendously. We can’t be more thankful,” he said.

“We go through about six gallons of milk a week. I’ll be thinking of the dairy farmers now every time I buy milk,” added Harris.

Sidney Gatschet of Chicago was the second winner of the $5,000 grand prize in the Illinois Farm Families’ Free Groceries for a Year contest.

Gatschet was presented with his prize at Forest Park’s Ultra Foods grocery store on Nov. 14.

“Throughout the sweepstakes, it was great to see the interest that consumers showed in Illinois farmers who raise their food,” said Deb Moore, a spokesperson for Illinois Family Farmers and a Roseville soybean producer.

The Illinois Family Farmers Feed US grocery contest was sponsored by the ISA, Illinois Corn Marketing Board, Illinois Beef Assoc., Illinois Pork Producers Assoc. and Illinois Farm Bureau.