By Lois Rockhill
We had a visitor this week. Although he is a donor, this was his first trip to Second Harvest Food Bank. He found his way to our new location in Delaware County. He made his way to my office — he knew from our newsletters that he would find me in a construction trailer in the main warehouse. He handed me a very generous donation. “I usually give $20,” he said, “but this time I was moved to do more.” He knew from our literature that his check would provide food enough for 5,000 meals. And it could not have come at a better time.
Take a look at the legal section of your newspaper. Are you as stunned as I am with the number of foreclosures? Check out the gas stations. Will gasoline go higher than $4 a gallon before the summer is over — or the week is out? What about food prices? If you can afford to drive to the grocery, can you afford to buy what you used to? And school is out. Families already stressed by escalating prices are feeding kids who ate free at school barely a week ago.
Our visitor had tears in his eyes when he talked about the pull on his heart to make this gift to Second Harvest. His experience serving on the board of a local food pantry and being a member of a church that supported another pantry sharpened his understanding of the need. He knew his gift would make a difference.
It was a good week for community support. We picked up our first donation from the Nestlé plant in Anderson. Red Gold called with a huge donation of 33,000 pounds of spaghetti sauce and tomato products. Jim Needham’s social ethics class from Ball State University began their 20 hours per student volunteer activities sorting product and putting up additional pallet racking. We got word that the Madison County Community Foundation made a $10,000 gift to our endowment.
Second Harvest Food Bank survives and thrives because of people in our communities who are moved to action. Funds, food, time and expertise are given again and again and again. These resources are critical to our mission of alleviating hunger in East Central Indiana.
This kind of support got a lot done this past week. Our drivers delivered tons of food to three dozen organizations in the region. We got 13 Summer Food Service sites up and running. We did two Tailgate stops on Friday. Because our community cared, nearly 10,000 struggling people had food to eat this week.
Pantries continue to report increased numbers of desperate people coming to their doors. At the Tailgate in Muncie, 174 cars were lined up and waiting for the 9 a.m. start time. It is easy to believe that the need will continue to grow throughout the summer.
Parents looking for activities and lunch for their children might consider sites that offer the Summer Food Program. Second Harvest Food Bank sponsors 13 sites and can bring others on if your organization is interested. Currently Second Harvest sponsors sites in Anderson with the city recreational programs at the Geater Center, Greenbriar School, North Anderson Community Center, Fifth Street United Methodist Church and 10th Street School, also at the Alexandria Community Center and Chesterfield Christian Church.
In Muncie our sites are at MOMS, Madison Street United Methodist Church and Christ Temple Church. We also sponsor Summer Food in Hartford City at the Blackford County YMCA and at the Salvation Army in Marion. Call us at (765) 286-8698 for more information.
I surprise myself by being surprised at the gifts that come our way. So many people over the years have followed their hearts and given their resources because they care about their neighbors and believe in the work we do. Our guest this week with his generous donation and compassionate heart reminded me of this.
Lois Rockhill is Executive Director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana, Inc.
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