Child Hunger Programs are Top Priority

As we finished our Strategic Plan update in 2015, we challenged ourselves to examine what we have been doing programmatically for many years. We have been a provider of food to about 110 agencies in 8 counties. We also have a direct distribution to clients called the Tailgate Program that we execute in all 8 counties. Both of these are distributing food in a generalized sort of way by basically supplying food to whoever shows up. They both help struggling people but the question is could we be more targeted to “move the needle”?

We have decided to begin 2016 with a prioritization plan for our food resources and staff commitment. Our top priority going forward will be focused on Child Hunger Programs. We have some small but impactful programs with Child Hunger that we are ramping up substantially in 2016. Over the last year or two we have been engaged with Sutton Elementary in Muncie, St. Mary’s School in Anderson, Elwood Elementary in Elwood and Westlawn Elementary in Portland with distributing food to kids. We also partner with Turning Point –Food 4 Kids in Henry County and Reach Ministry – Food 4 Kids in Delaware County and First United Methodist in Anderson. As of a month ago we have been in dialogue with Southside Middle School in Muncie and have formed a partnership with the school staff and Fairlawn Church of Christ to operate a School Food Pantry in Southside.

We have been in dialogue with several school superintendents in Randolph, Delaware and Madison Counties to discuss forming partnerships with each school in the district. We also discussed jointly working to locate partners like churches, businesses or organizations who will engage in this effort with us and the neighborhood school to form a team that will make an impact on struggling families with children attending the school. There are some great examples of how this is working by significantly addressing the food insecurity needs of the family. Attendance has risen dramatically at the evening meetings where parents and staff come together for conferences on the student’s engagement and parental involvement.

By providing these food resources 12 months a year, the families can continue to see school engagement as a positive experience.

Getting a significant amount of food distributed at these meetings can eliminate the need for parents to have to visit several food pantries to try to meet the gap they are trying to cover. All of us are focused on making sure hunger is not an issue for these kids so they can have a greater chance for a successful year in school and over the summer as well.

Let us know if you would like to help. You can learn more about donating or volunteering by clicking “get involved” in the menu above.

 

 

Written by Tim Kean

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