Lt. Governor of Indiana Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) announced that 11 Indiana food banks will receive a combined total of $1 million to support their efforts in feeding Hoosiers in need.
"This funding provided by the Indiana General Assembly will go far in assisting Hoosiers with food and other basic necessities," said Crouch, who also serves as the Indiana Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. "Food banks and pantries are vital in their communities around the state, and they cannot do their work without adequate funding and volunteers. I am proud to support their efforts in making Hoosier families and seniors more food secure."
According to Feeding Indiana's Hungry, while the long lines outside of food banks and food pantries may not have been as noticeable in 2021 as the year before, nearly 1 in 6 Americans received food assistance from the charitable sector last year.
"Our member food banks continue to see clients in numbers well above 2019 levels. New and pressing challenges -- including war abroad and inflation and higher costs of food, gas and other necessities -- are impacting the ability of individuals and families, especially with lower incomes, to make ends meet. For any Hoosier to be unsure from where their next meal will come is unacceptable," said Emily Bryant, executive director of Feeding Indiana's Hungry. "We're grateful for the support of the General Assembly, Lt. Gov. Crouch and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture for providing additional support to our members to enable them to increase their capacity and ability to serve their communities."
ISDA Director Bruce Kettler is hopeful this increased funding will go a long way in supporting these organizations.
"I am proud that this vital funding flows from the General Assembly through our department to assist these food banks in providing food and nutritional assistance to those who need it most," said Kettler.
The funding was provided by the Indiana Legislature, as part of its biennial budget. The distribution amounts were determined using The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TFAP) fair share percentages for Indiana, which captures poverty and unemployment levels in each county.
"As the COVID-19 emergency came under control in terms of food insecurity, another took its place. Soaring food, fuel and housing prices are affecting many Hoosier families," said Victor Garcia, CEO of the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. "Our neighbors know they can turn to the emergency food assistance programs provided by the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. Simply put, support from our partners at ISDA have helped our organization sustain the unprecedented number of friends and neighbors that need a helping hand."
Garcia continued, "In addition, this funding provided the financial resources needed to launch pilot projects serving Hoosier veterans, individuals experiencing homelessness and at-risk pregnant women."
The following list includes the food banks are receiving funding for fiscal year 2023:
Community Harvest Food Bank -- $101,400
Dare to Care Food Bank -- $37,400
Food Bank of Northern Indiana -- $115,000
Food Bank of Northwest Indiana -- $97,700
Food Finders Food Bank, Inc. -- $93,900
FreeStore Foodbank-- $9,000
Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Inc. -- $318,200
Hoosier Hills Food Bank, Inc. -- $42.600
Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central IN, Inc. -- $77,500
Terre Haute Catholic Charities Foodbank, Inc. -- $44,000
Tri-State Food Bank, Inc. -- $63,300
Categories: Indiana, Government & Policy, Harvesting