Food Banks Spotlight 

Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana started a new initiative earlier this year – Operation Full Pack. This program focuses on providing much-needed items, both food and non-food items, to veterans and those who serve.  The food bank plans to connect with all branches of military service, active duty, veterans, reservists and National Guard, through various affiliated support organizations like the American Legion. Currently, Operation Full Pack provides food and essential supplies to households of more than 150 local soldiers and veterans in need of support in the East Central Indiana area, and is expanding into Lake and Porter Counties soon with the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana.

Freestore Food Bank achieved a milestone with their Growing Beyond Hunger Campaign. With the funds raised, they will be able to significantly expand their refrigeration capacity, train workers to have job skills to regain stability, and connect more people to the support they need. The new Freestore Foodbank Community Resource and Distribution Center ($30-million, 195,000-square-foot building, set to open in the fall of 2022) will be the first facility the organization has built for food distribution, and will also include a workforce training center. Freestore Food Bank strives to address food insecurity at its root causes, and works diligently to reduce hunger in the tristate region. Freestore serves Dearborn, Ohio, and Switzerland counties in Indiana.

Feeding Indiana’s Hungry received several donations and grants this past year to address food insecurity in Indiana. The donations are instrumental in helping make sure we can be there for our neighbors in need during times of uncertainty.

The Indiana Institute for Working Families and Feeding Indiana’s Hungry released released the following joint statement in response to the US House of Representatives passage of the Build Back Better Act:

“This is a huge step forward to increasing opportunity, reducing poverty, and shrinking racial inequities for Hoosier children, families, and workers,” said Emily Weikert Bryant, executive director of Feeding Indiana’s Hungry. “If enacted, the Build Back Better Act will help people get health coverage, afford stable housing, food, and childcare for their children, and meet other basic needs. We thank Representatives Carson and Mrvan for their support. We urge our Senate delegation to support the bill and help get it quickly over the finish line.”