Mustache March 4 PD Hosts Annual Food Drive to Remember Officer Blake Snyder
Mustache March 4 PD is inviting residents to give back in honor of Officer Blake Snyder. See how the Fill the Pantry event combines food donations, raffles and giveaways with a mission rooted in remembrance.
Mustache March for PD discusses Fill the Pantry drive and support for local police departments
ALTON - Community members can support local food pantries and police departments at the annual Mustache March 4 PD Fill the Pantry food drive in honor of Officer Blake Snyder.
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From 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, you can stop by Alton Physical Therapy in Alton to donate nonperishable food items, enjoy raffles and giveaways, and snack with Jewel Ice Cream Co. Mustache March 4 PD organizers Tina Bennett and Wesley Strowmatt emphasized that the goal is to support the community while remembering Snyder, who was killed in the line of duty.
“November 7 is Blake’s birthday,” shared Strowmatt, who was Snyder’s best friend. “We used to do all kinds of stuff to celebrate, and now we celebrate a little different. We do something that we think he would have wanted, and that’s collect some food and give it to the local pantries and try to give back to the community that he was raised in.”
The Fill the Pantry event aims to collect at least 4,153 pounds of food, which corresponds to Snyder’s badge number. These donations will be distributed to food pantries across the region, including Crisis Food Center and the little pantry outside the Alton Boys and Girls Club.
“All of that is going to stay in the area,” Bennett said. “I think we get that question a lot. Where is this going? It’s all staying in our area. It will be Jerseyville, Alton, wherever the need is. We will try to help out.”
This mission resonates with all of the members of Mustache March. Mustache March 4 PD was founded 10 years ago by Snyder’s mother and friends after his passing. The organization supports 15 police departments in the area, from Carlinville to Pontoon Beach.
They raise money to distribute among the police departments every year. The officers then spend the money on K-9 officers, training equipment, warm weather gear, or even items like desk chairs for the 911 dispatchers or a barbecue grill for department meetings and morale.
The organization also sends several officers to Washington, D.C., every year for National Police Week. Bennett and Strowmatt noted that the officers often return reinvigorated and eager to serve their communities.
“It’s really good to see that we can help contribute to them,” Bennett said.
The group hopes that their work spreads Snyder’s name and his legacy of giving back. The Fill the Pantry event on Nov. 7 aims to bring people together and raise as much as possible for the local food pantries.
Strowmatt, Bennett and their team are also happy to pick up donations or help you unload your donations on Nov. 7. You can also donate via Venmo or PayPal.
They encourage people to visit the official Mustache March 4 PD website or their official Facebook page for more information about the food drive and the organization’s work.
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