There are a lot of wonderful organizations around the state of Indiana working to alleviate hunger issues within our community. We thought we would highlight five of these organizations: Midwest Food Bank, Salvation Army (Fountain Square), Gleaners Food Bank, St. Vincent de Paul, and Grace Care Center.
Midwest Food Bank – This food bank, a known name to many, serves to provide food to a network of local non-profits. At the moment, Midwest Food Bank currently distributes over $13.2 million worth of food each month. In Indiana, Midwest Food Bank of Indianapolis works with 322 agency partners to bring food to over 50 counties in Indiana and Kentucky. One fun fact about the Indianapolis location is that it has, “a Garden of Hope.” This Garden, “is an actual on-site garden, taken care of by the Burmese (Chin) refugees in the area.” The garden is staffed by volunteers and each year it produces 25-30 thousand pounds of fresh produce. How can you get involved? Check out their website here: https://www.midwestfoodbank.org/locations/indianapolis-in.
Salvation Army Fountain Square – The goal of Salvation Army Fountain Square’s food pantry is to, “help fill empty stomachs and fix broken hearts.” That is why they have an emergency food pantry where those in need can stop by and pick up a meal on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am-12pm. However, their pantry does not stop there. The Salvation Army also offers their Pathway of Hope program designed to help families meet their goals. A goal could be anything from finding housing to securing a job to buying a car. Lastly, each week, the Salvation Army Fountain Square hosts a kid’s night where a dinner and a snack is provided. Find out how to help here: https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/fountainsquare/ways-to-give.
Gleaners Food Bank – Gleaners Food Bank is all about solving the hunger issue within the state of Indiana. Their goal is to, “lead the fight against hunger.” They work with over 250 partner agencies in 21 counties to distribute food to local food pantries and shelters. In fact, per their website, “1 in 6 Hoosiers are hungry.” While Gleaners mainly distributes their food throughout the state, they also have a food pantry of their own. The Community Cupboard has the feel of a grocery store and allows visitors to shop for what they need. The Community Cupboard is open Tuesday-Thursday and Saturdays. Of course, they also have a variety of other programs with everything from youth programs to their SNAP outreach program. To get involved, visit their website here: https://www.gleaners.org/action/.
St. Vincent de Paul – St. Vincent de Paul is an international organization looking to solve hunger issues throughout the world. In Indianapolis, St. Vincent de Paul has two client choice food pantries. One is at 3001 East 30th Street and the other is at 4202 Boulevard Place. St. Vincent de Paul also gives away household basics on a case-by-case basis. Those interested in receiving household basics should contact their helpline at (317)687-0169. Similar to the Salvation Army’s Pathway of Hope program, St. Vincent de Paul has a program named Our Changing Lives Forever. This program walks side-by-side with clients to help them become economically self-sufficient. Interested in helping? Visit their website here for more information: http://www.svdpindy.org/i-want-to-help/
Grace Care Center – The Grace Care Center really does it all. They have a, “Choice Food Pantry, Referral Services, Vehicle Services, & ESL Classes.” They are open Mondays and Tuesdays from 6-8pm and Wednesdays from 10am-12pm. In their Choice Food Pantry, guests get to walk through and choose their own items. This food pantry has everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to refrigerated items. In Grace’s referral and vehicle services, requests are handled on a case-by-case basis. On another note, many of the individuals who attend Grace’s food pantry are not native English speakers. That is why Grace is now offering ESL classes Mondays at 6:30pm. Interested in getting involved? Visit their page to find out more: http://gracechurch.us/carecenter/.
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Needless to say, there are a lot of wonderful organizations around Indianapolis working to combat hunger. Consider volunteering or donating to one of these amazing organizations – it is so easy to be a positive impact on your community!
