Lois Rockhill

Second Harvest Column: World Hunger Day

kpaul.mallasch — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:35:02 -0700

By Lois Rockhill

My friend Christie Stephens handed me a copy of the monthly newsletter from Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis. The front page shows a colorful action painting by Joanie Rothenberg created for the Interfaith Hunger Initiative in our capital city.

In front of a night sky filled with blue swirls and round white stars, a group of people dressed in more swirls, poke-a-dots and bright colors are bringing offerings of food to add to a huge yellow pot of soup stirred by a person in green. There are peppers, tomatoes, potatoes and carrots. One man is lifting a child high into the sky so she can reach over the crowd to add her bowl of veggies to the soup.

Below the picture is the quote from Matthew 25:35, “I was hungry and you fed me”. Second Presbyterian endorsed the Interfaith Hunger Initiative in June of this year with The Indianapolis Covenant that includes this phrase: “WHEREAS, our religious traditions, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism, all clearly teach that God expects us to care for the hungry; therefore as individuals and as religious congregations we commit ourselves and our resources to eliminating child and family hunger both locally and globally.”

Thursday, Oct. 16, is World Hunger Day. This day set aside to remember that 854 million people across the globe are hungry, raised the month of October as a good choice for Second Presbyterian to highlight hunger. Congregants received collection cups this past Sunday to place on their tables. They are urged to fill the cups with cash for hunger relief as they enjoy their own family meals. On Oct. 12 the Interfaith Hunger Initiative has scheduled a forum on hunger with their congressional candidates — how great is that, to not only hold ourselves responsible but to also invite lawmakers to see that their constituents take ending hunger very seriously!

On World Hunger Day itself the Indianapolis community is invited to meet at the Circle for an un-lunch and time of prayer. The month goes on with other hunger awareness and hunger action activities including Jim Morris, former executive director of the UN World Food Program, in the pulpit at Second Presbyterian on Oct. 19.

I am sure that many of our religious groups in east central Indiana are also planning events around World Hunger Day. I would be very happy to hear about them. And I would love to hear if we have anything similar to an Interfaith Hunger Initiative in east central Indiana. It seems like a good thing to have — working together to end hunger is the only way it will be achieved. It is a tremendous task but not an impossible one.

I am reminded of another group that took on a huge task — one that seemed impossible to achieve but is very close to the goal set so many years ago. Rotary took on the challenge of eradicating polio. Some readers may shrug because polio just isn’t an issue here. And it is hardly an issue globally because Rotarians all over the world said it wasn’t acceptable for any person to have polio when a simple vaccine given to all children would eradicate it.

Can you imagine what would happen to world hunger if the religious people of the world mobilized themselves and their religious bodies to eradicate it? Like polio, there is a cure. For hunger is it food. We have the food; we have the means to produce even more food. Would an Interfaith Hunger Initiative in our region allow us to come together to alleviate hunger in our own communities and around the world?

Lois Rockhill is executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana. She can be reached at lrockhill@curehunger.org.

Second Harvest Column: Events Went Quite Well

kpaul.mallasch — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 21:39:20 -0700

By Lois Rockhill

If you were there, you know that the Second Harvest Food Bank events of Sept. 17 turned out quite well. Our operations director Joe Fox and his staff are still receiving kudos for having the facilities looking so good. The warehouse is always clean and orderly but there was a "spit and shine" to it last week that was remarkable!

Tiffany Jones and her assistants pulled the events together with all the unseen but necessary support. Susan Land, who is our very new development associate, saw to it that all the details were covered.

Erin Rockhill heard good comments, too, on the agency seminars that began the afternoon. Volunteers and staff from all of the programs we serve were invited to participate in this annual event. This year the format was set as a backdrop to the dedication of the warehouse and the 25th anniversary celebration giving our partnering agencies the opportunity to take part in all.

We figured we had 100 people attend the outdoor ribbon-cutting ceremony. Pay Less Super Market managers Mike Chase and Joyce Turner presented a beautiful basket of flowers before the ceremony. Board Chair Brad Condon welcomed everyone and introduced the participants. Sen. Lugar sent a letter of congratulations read by his Indiana state director, Lesley Reser. Indiana state Sen. Sue Errington and state Rep. Terri Austin commented on the occasion. They were followed by Anderson’s chairman of the Board of Public Works, Greg Graham. Muncie Mayor Sharon McShurley read a city proclamation naming Sept. 17 Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana day. Founding board member John Cooper and Rich Spisak program director with Ball Brothers Foundation were introduced and joined the others in a group ribbon cutting while yours truly did the countdown to synchronize those eight scissor snips.

The crowd moved indoors for tours with many taking time to participate in the volunteer activity. Benefactors and representatives of agencies benefiting from our services stood shoulder to shoulder with other friends of Second Harvest packing individual Kool-Aid packets into plastic bowls. Some of these volunteers were very task-oriented, and it was hard to pull them away for dinner.

Those taking the tours were ushered into the mammoth freezer and refrigerator. They walked down the aisles of the dry storage area and took a look at the huge inventory on hand. They were shown into the area of the building designated for renovations for offices where Associate Director Tim Kean had measured off and taped the outline of each room on the floor repeating the blueprint visual provided by architect Mike Ellis.

By the time the dinner bell rang, we had close to 200 people at the tables set up in the warehouse. Troy Brown from Wal-Mart’s corporate office provided burgundy mums for the occasion — matching the napkins that Tim Tuhey from Cintas provided along with white table cloths. Shiny galvanized buckets donated by Lowes centered the tables holding iced drinks for the diners.

Appetizers of peach cheese balls, corn chowder shooters and my favorite — a pasta salad made with spaghetti had already been served. Tim Kean walked the diners through the dinner menu and how to approach the food stations. A harpist made beautiful music while we all enjoyed a meal created and prepared by area chefs at the Ball State laboratory kitchen.

Our program included a history of Second Harvest Food Bank and a challenge by Steve Anderson to keep the organization moving forward. Brad Condon introduced the public portion of the campaign, Second Harvest on the Move, A Region Responds to Ending Hunger. Brad announced that the campaign team had already raised $2.7 million of the $4 million goal that includes $2.5 million for capital, $1 million for endowment and $500,000 for programs.

As we invited our guests to help move us into the future, we were able to offer the exciting incentive of the Kresge Challenge Grant. The Kresge Foundation pledged a $400,000 challenge grant payable after $800,000 more is raised! Every dollar given to capital and program will increase in value to $1.50. Every $10,000 gift will multiply to $15,000! It was a good way to end the evening and to focus our sights on the work ahead of ending hunger and feeding hope for our struggling neighbors in East Central Indiana.

Lois Rockhill is executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana. She can be reached at lrockhill@curehunger.org.

Second Harvest Column: Hunger Action Month

kpaul.mallasch — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:09:37 -0700

By Lois Rockhill

September is Hunger Action Month. Activities throughout the nation will focus on taking action to end hunger or to mobilize energy and resources around ways individuals, churches, clubs, businesses and organizations can make a difference for hungry people in their communities.

Here in east central Indiana, Second Harvest Food Bank is focusing on Sept. 17. We want everyone to come over to our new place for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4:30 p.m. and then stay for tours and Dinner on the Dock at 6 p.m. Be ready for a big announcement about our capital campaign.

But that’s not all we have going on that day.

Beginning at 1 p.m., we will have three educational sessions geared to the pantries and other programs we serve. We are tying our annual agency conference in with the festivities and inviting all who are interested to participate.

At 1 p.m., we will consider whether it will be better or worse in our region in the next four or five years for low-income residents. Dr. Eric Kelly is our presenter. He is a planner, lawyer and professor of urban planning at Ball State University. Eric was appointed to the Indiana Land Resources Council in 1999. He consults on planning issues with local governments around the country and was recently elected chairman of the six-member Muncie-Delaware County Government Reorganization Committee.

Pantries continue to report increasing numbers of people requesting food assistance. What will the future hold for already strained charities? What must we consider as we think about building capacity to sustain and increase service? We look forward to Eric’s predictions.

The second session at 2 p.m. will be led by Erin Rockhill. Erin will introduce the national hunger study that will be in full-force early next year. She is director of agency relations and program development at Second Harvest Food Bank. She coordinated the 1997 hunger study while serving as an AmeriCorps volunteer with Second Harvest. She also oversaw the 2006 study as a staff member. Erin serves on the national Feeding America Advisory Council for the upcoming study.

The national hunger study orchestrated by Feeding America has a tremendous impact on federal legislation. The data describes the lives of people using local food assistance programs in terms of income, employment, health and family makeup. These studies have put a face on hunger and helped communities understand what low-income residents are up against. We will utilize volunteers from each county to visit pantries and kitchens to conduct 15- to 20-minute interviews with clients. The results will come back to us in national, state and regional reports.

Lois Altman will present the final session, and it will be all about food. Lois is currently an associate and assistant professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at Ball State University. Her experience as a pastry chef, and the owner of Menu Classics in Indianapolis, as well as her degree from the Culinary Institute of America, should assure all that her contribution to this session will be both informative and tasty. Lois will tackle the Second Harvest Food Bank inventory and present agency attendees with ideas for and tastes of nutritious menus.

Everyone is invited to these special sessions. There is no fee to attend. Please plan to stay for the ribbon-cutting and join us for Dinner on the Dock. Lois, along with area chefs, has come up with our dinner menu. You can expect corn chowder shooters, mini pasta salads, Caribbean grilled ham with mango sauce, potato/cauliflower gratinee, fruit mousse cones with brownie bites, caramel bread pudding with warm apples and more. Remember, no cost, casual, open to all, but please call to reserve your seats! (765) 287-8698 ext. 100. Find a map to our place at www.curehunger.org.

Lois Rockhill is executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana. She can be reached at lrockhill@curehunger.org.

Lois Rockhill Responds to Newspaper Article re: Selling Donated Food

kpaul.mallasch — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:47:04 -0700

By Lois Rockhill

I saw it again in a recent newspaper article. The reference to buying food from Second Harvest Food Bank. It’s a hard concept to challenge as money does in deed change hands! But here’s the deal. We do not sell donated food. Yes, money is paid out, but donated food is not sold. The transaction is called a shared maintenance fee, sometimes referred to as a handling fee.

The idea is that the pantries, kitchens, shelters, child-care centers, rehab, residential, senior and youth programs that agree to partner with us also agree to help support the cost of getting food. Not buying food, getting food. We become a food solicitation arm of each program. We arrange to find donated food from all over the nation and haul it to our central warehouse. Once it is here, we are mandated to store it and handle it safely. Then we make it available to these east central Indiana charities, most often delivering it to their doors.

All this costs plenty of money. We have a staff of paid employees, a facility with upkeep and utilities, vehicles demanding repair, maintenance, insurance and fuel, inbound freight costs and much, much more. This year we will spend $900,000 helping local charities feed needy neighbors.

Before you gasp at that cost, think of the return. We are on track to distribute 4.2 million pounds of food and product by the end of 2008. The average wholesale value of this inventory will be more than $6 million! Now back to that handling fee. The cap is set by our national office, Feeding America. They are advised by the IRS. The fee cannot be related to the value of the food. The fee was just increased by a penny and is now capped at 19 cents per pound.

You do the math. If we could charge the full handling fee on all the products we distribute we would be very close to meeting expenses just from that one source. My job would certainly be a lot easier! But, this cannot happen. The market will not bear it. Pantries and meal programs are hard pressed to come up with enough money to cover a fourth of the approved fee. It falls on Second Harvest to raise the rest.

With that responsibility, we become not only a food solicitation arm for the charities we serve but a fundraising arm as well. In order to provide food for their programs we must raise most of the money the system was designed for them to contribute!

It’s not such a bad idea. A centralized warehouse and a centralized fundraising function. Just as a food donor finds it most efficient to donate to one entity which disperses the product, a funding organization can do the same. United Way has often chosen that path. By funding Second Harvest, they are supporting local charities that reach out with food assistance to low-income residents throughout their county.

The system works best when the charities involved practice the Waste Not, Want Not concept that John Arnold in Grand Rapids, Mich., worked out. This is the idea that the community would be served best if all pantries relied 100 percent on their regional food bank (that would be Second Harvest here in east central Indiana).

The largest pantries in our eight-county service area are Waste Not, Want Not. They use the dollars from their supporters to pay the handling fees for donated food. That’s it. Whatever Second Harvest has is what they distribute to their clients. The clients choose the items they can use and fill in their meal plans with food stamp purchases or money from their own pockets.

The result is that everybody’s dollar goes further. If someone donates a dollar to the food pantry, instead of spending it on a can of soup, they can pay a handling fee at Second Harvest and get five or six cans of soup. If we don’t have soup, they could get even more servings of chicken bullion or dry-pack meals because they weigh less!

So that’s the story. Second Harvest Food Bank does not sell donated food. We never have. We never will.

Lois Rockhill is executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana. She can be reached at lrockhill@curehunger.org.

Second Harvest: Private vs. Public

kpaul.mallasch — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:35:52 -0700

By Lois Rockhill

Dr. J. Larry Brown, Harvard School of Public Health, made a presentation to the Maine Nutrition Council last month. He explored the question, “How do we end domestic hunger?” slanting his answer toward his firm belief that the federal government is responsible to do so.

Brown is remembered by some as a student at Anderson College (now University) 40 years ago. Since then, he has dedicated his life to justice issues and national hunger concerns. In his speech last month he pointed out that hunger in America can be ended and ended quickly. It can be done not by charities but by the national government.

While Brown recognizes that food banks, food pantries and meal programs stand between needy people and severe hunger, he challenges these same charities. He tells us that feeding the hungry is not the way to end hunger.

We have heard the story United Way promotes about rescuing babies from the river. This story appears to be a variation of a fable Brown created years ago. In his version, it is farmers caught in a fast flowing river. Much effort goes into rescue work involving platforms and ropes to pull people from the river.

At some point, a delegation goes up river and finds that the path to the fields was so close to the river that occasionally victims slid off the bank and into the river. Soon they changed the route of the path, and from that time on, no one fell into the river again. The rescue work was no longer needed.

I agree with Brown that private charities have nowhere close to the capacity of the government to address hunger. I agree that any thought from our government leaders that the private charitable network can pick up more responsibility for feeding hungry people is absurd. We have yet to fill the gap between federal nutrition programs and pressing need. The increasing need that we now face is almost irrelevant in light of never having had enough resources to adequately address hunger in our communities.

Brown has some radical suggestions for steps to take to end hunger in America. He believes that the federal programs already in existence would end hunger if strengthened. This would include food stamps, child nutrition programs and elderly feeding programs. He estimates that this would take an addition of only $10 billion to $12 billion a year. If you would like Brown’s complete speech, please contact me and I will get a copy to you.

I read Brown’s speech and reviewed some supporting research as I was on my way to a national meeting of executive directors of the food bank network. At the meeting, we were energized by a network strategically working to raise awareness of hunger and find more food and funds. Rather than planning to cease operations in 4 years as Brown suggests as a catalyst to push the government to end hunger, our network is deeply into plans to feed a million more Americans this year and a million more next year.

We honored Nancy Montanez Johner, United States Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services and two of her colleagues for implementing a creative plan to barter surplus stocks for food for the hungry. This initiative delivered 1,412 truckloads of food to the food bank network, with more expected in a second round.

Brown seems to fear that celebrating these partnerships will take the pressure off decision makers in the federal government who must take the major steps necessary to provide enough food to end hunger for Americans.

Perhaps Brown is right. Ending hunger for Americans is the job of the federal government. More money for nutrition programs is certainly important and would solve the challenges of the local pantries and kitchens futilely trying to meet the need with restricted and often dwindling resources.

I can’t see our network taking the kind of stand Brown recommends, but I hope we make rapid progress in persuading our government representatives to boldly take the lead in ending hunger. If they can reroute the path, local charities will have far less people to rescue.

Lois Rockhill is executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana. She can be reached at lrockhill@curehunger.org.

Second Harvest: Homeward Bound

kpaul.mallasch — Wed, 2 Apr 2008 10:35:09 -0700

By Lois Rockhill

Evelyn Goode is the spokeswoman for Homeward Bound for East Central Indiana. Her story serves to motivate community groups and individuals to raise funds for hunger and homelessness. It’s best to read her story in her own words. Go to our Second Harvest Food Bank website at www.curehunger.org, click on the ‘related links’ tab and then on Homeward Bound. Once on the statewide site, go to the map and choose East Central Indiana

Evelyn tells the story of her own personal struggle as a young mother of five making the difficult decision to leave a marriage destroyed by addiction. “The breaking point was after Christmas of 1993. My children ranged in age from 4 years to eleven. With no tree, no presents, and no Christmas dinner, I decided to try and get help.”

From that point of action, Evelyn’s story goes on to recount challenges overcome by her own determination and with the help of others. Today she holds a university degree and a position of responsibility at a local bank. “I wake up everyday accepting that there are things in life I can’t control and knowing that it is how I choose to react that determines my destiny.”

Thousands of Hoosiers will choose to react to stories like Evelyn’s by walking this month in a statewide event called Homeward Bound. Here in our region the walk will take place in Chesterfield at noon on April 27. There are 14 agencies from Delaware and Madison County that are benefiting from the walk. All are looking for team members.

Second Harvest has broadened the field by encouraging all the agencies we serve in eight counties to form a team under our auspices. Their team will raise money to help leverage more food from Second Harvest. Pantries and meal programs getting food from Second Harvest help defray the food bank’s cost of obtaining, storing and delivering the products to them by contributing a portion of the total cost. Homeward Bound funds from designated teams will help them with this.

Other teams will raise money to help organizations provide housing, shelter and supportive services. This is an opportunity for businesses, schools, churches and other groups to support the work that goes on every day to provide for people in their moment of need. Evelyn’s story shared so bravely and generously, shows what a difference we make in the lives of others when we step forward to offer our support.

While you are putting dates on the calendar, please add a note to May 10. That is the date of the largest one day food drive in the nation! The Letter Carriers Food Drive requires very little from the community. They do it all for you!

All you have to do is select canned goods from your kitchen shelf, put them in a plastic bag and set it out by your mailbox that morning. Volunteers, letter carriers, rural carriers, post office staff will all be joining together to pick up your donations and see that they get to a pantry in your town.

Lois Rockhill is Executive Director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana, Inc

Second Harvest Column: Hillary Clinton at the Wigwam

kpaul.mallasch — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:48:16 -0700

By Lois Rockhill

I have not committed to a candidate for U.S. president. That did not stop me from standing in the long line to get into the Anderson Wigwam to see Hillary Clinton. The line itself was inspirational. So many young people. So many women. “Pantsuits are Awesome,” read a sign in the crowd.

I took my grandson Nathan. I wanted him to know that the little girls in his kindergarten class could grow up to be president. He knew about Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. I wanted him to know that a Hillary had the same opportunity. I told him about Barack Obama and said that children of color could be president when they grew up. I mentioned that John McCain was a candidate. Little white boys could grow up to be president too.

Being one in a crowd of 6,000, with time on my hands once Nathan stopped wiggling and before Hillary appeared, gave me opportunity to think about this cross section of our community. True that most were there because they agreed with party politics, it was also true that many differences were represented.

There wasn’t any way Hillary or any other candidate could speak to all the concerns we had. Jobs, education, bureaucracy issues, poverty, taxes — the list was unending. But we waited with interest to hear what it was she would promise. We waited and cheered her words of hope.

You might think it a stretch to compare that experience with the one I had on Saturday. I stood outside the Pay Less Super Market at Cross Street to remind shoppers that We Can Care. It was the day the Madison County Highway Department picked to do their part in the countywide food drive. The event was to help Second Harvest Food Bank stock the shelves of area pantries. I was there on that very cold day to support the effort.

The similarity was in the cross section of the community. True, people came for food, not politics. But they too responded to promises and hope. We promised to feed their neighbors in need and, with their help, to serve up hope with that food. We brought to their attention the fact that as a community, we can care for our own.

Not everyone needed reminded. Along with highway department employees Ivan and Gerrald and Zachary’s grandpa, we had volunteers from the Chesterfield Community Food Pantry and House of Hope at our location. I had people stop to stuff money in our Prairie Farms milk jug who worked at other human service agencies. We had people sign their names on the big green snow plow who have been longtime donors to Second Harvest and others who simply wanted to be known as people who care.

Every donation, food or funds, was heartfelt. Some gave out of their abundance and others sacrificially. A woman living in a shelter with her children dropped a box of treats into the collection box. A man stuffed a dollar in the jug. After he left I heard he was unemployed. His comment was that someone might need it worse than he.

On this sunny afternoon with the rhubarb and daffodils pushing through the warming sod, I am grateful for hope. I saw it last week in a crowd of people, eyes bright in anticipation of political promise. I saw it again in the response from shoppers who cared enough to take a positive action for neighbors in need of a helping hand. It was how that hope expressed by individuals became a community effort that was so powerful. It was clear to me that together we have tremendous impact for good.

Lois Rockhill is executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana. She can be reached at lrockhill@curehunger.org.

Second Harvest Column: Helpful Volunteers

kpaul.mallasch — Thu, 6 Mar 2008 22:28:25 -0800

By Lois Rockhill

You may have watched Oprah Winfrey’s “The Big Give” this past Sunday. Participants compete to come up with the most creative ways to take a given amount of money and other resources and multiply them before giving them away to help others.

Contestants applied a year ago to be on the show. They range in age from 22 to 43 years. They will face many challenges as they strive to outdo each other for the good of others. The idea is to change lives in five days with the help of a lot of money and, of course, Harpo Productions.

The commercials for the show are appealing. At least one reminds me of people right here in east central Indiana who are giving big and changing lives. Their stories inspire me. There are so many people practicing “The Big Give” spirit in our community that we would be hard pressed to choose only 10 as Oprah has.

“We Can Care” kicked off last week. The month-long Madison County food drive was started by Greg Graham, now Anderson’s chair of the Board of Works. Greg heard that pantry shelves were empty following the holidays and our neediest residents had to do without enough food. He responded to that need by inviting community leaders to back a countywide food drive. Years later, the drive has generated well over 600,000 pounds of food. Hungry people are being fed, and good citizens are finding this avenue open to their own big giving.

Jeanne Lee knows how to mobilize a community. She has been involved in Girl Scouts, Alternatives, the Madison County Community Foundation and now with Second Harvest Food Bank. She is reaching into all areas of our east central Indiana service area to pull together resources that will keep the food bank strong and functioning for many years to come. She is changing lives as she encourages people with resources to help insure that we will keep up the good work.

I think of Carol Trimmer with Indiana Public Radio and how she connected Second Harvest and IPR. Because she connected the dots, IPR listeners are reminded and challenged to give big – of themselves and of their resources to end hunger and feed hope.

Then there is Ginnette Tavzel, executive director of the United Way of Jay County, and Jenny Dennis, executive director of the United Fund of Henry County. Both women have taken the issue of hunger very seriously. They have worked to mobilize volunteers in their communities to help at Tailgate distributions. These are events where Second Harvest provides a truck load of food for a drive through distribution — a real boon to residents in need and a big help to supplement the on-going work of the local pantries.

Speaking of pantries, and we could easily add kitchens, shelters, child care programs and senior programs — our list of people who give big will grow tremendously as we count the women and men involved at each. Some are paid staff, most are volunteers. They work tirelessly to end hunger and feed hope. They network in their communities, mobilize and inspire big giving.

I have named only a few of the many people who are change agents in east central Indiana. I like to think of volunteers, advocates, food donors, service donors, fund donors and community activist who are all big givers here in our community. I hope Oprah’s “Big Give” will touch her viewers and inspire people who need a nudge to join the ranks of people who step up to make a difference.

We have wonderful models living and breathing among us. With Oprah to help spotlight big giving, I look forward to seeing the rolls swell. And remember, big is relative. Do your best to make a difference. Whether it is a can of food or a semi trailer load, a handful of pennies or a six-figure gift, someone will be better off because you gave as big as you could!

Lois Rockhill is Executive Director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana, Inc.

Second Harvest Column: Network of Human Kindness

kpaul.mallasch — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 02:12:39 -0800

By Lois Rockhill

This ongoing column is about hunger and poverty. I write about the part Second Harvest Food Bank plays in these issues. I try to point out, too, how each of us can advocate for stronger federal nutrition programs and how these programs positively impact the plight of our low-income residents.

It is usually an easy task to pick a subject and type away. Not this column. I am actually writing it during the Super Bowl just five days after my mother died here at my home. I am using a laptop. The screen has been blank for two hours and not because of any deep interest in the game. I have, it seems, energy only for grieving.

My mother was 93. She shared our home for more than eight years. She was confined to bed for the past three. I had lots of wonderful help caring for mom. My husband and daughter were terrific. Saint John’s Hospice and LifeStream provided critical services allowing us to keep Mom at home. She eventually qualified for a Medicaid waiver that picked up most of the costs for caretakers we hired.

Truthfully, it wasn’t easy. An evening out, vacation, an overnight or working late all required hard-to-do scheduling. Someone had to be at the house at all times. We’ll enjoy the freedom, once we get used to it. But we miss Mom, and we treasure the time we had together. As her health declined, her love for her family seemed to become more poignant.

During these years, I have thought often of other families. I wondered how people with already strained resources could manage to keep their loved one at home. I remembered how hard and time consuming it was to apply for the Medicaid waiver and to manage her care even with help.

Since Mom’s death, I have thought about the network of human kindness. Hearing from family and friends. Cards, flowers, visits. Kind words. People extending themselves to shore up a friend face to face with loss. Not unlike the kindness shown by so many when you hear that your neighbor is in need of food.

As I looked out over the crowd of people attending the Dream Ball Saturday night, I could appreciate how this annual fundraiser is an example of collective kindness. So many people reach out to make life easier for others. The planning, the preparation, the gathering of people who support our work is a moving testimony to their compassionate, caring hearts.

The woman preparing a meal with donated food may be in touch with the kindness of others. Like me, she might be thinking of their goodness in her time of need. Like you, she might be doing what she can to help another.

Mom spent her life caring for family, friends and strangers. In her last years, our immediate family soaked up that care and love. Her room is empty, but the goodness that was her will abide in our hearts forever. She will continue to remind us that there are many people making our world a good place to live.

(Lois Rockhill is executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana. She can be reached at lrockhill@curehunger.org.)

Second Harvest Column: Where We Are

kpaul.mallasch — Sat, 2 Feb 2008 17:04:06 -0800

By Lois Rockhill

Do you know where the Second Harvest Food Bank warehouse is? Up until November last year, you may have noticed it at the corner of 14th and Meridian streets in downtown Anderson, particularly if you found yourself stopped at the traffic light or eating at Real Hacienda.

Now you would need to be traveling Indiana 35 or Indiana 3 north of Muncie to see our sign on a complex of buildings next to the Water Bowl.

Chances are you see our trucks more often than our building. One has our cornucopia logo on it, another has cans of food. The third is identified with the ConAgra Feeding Children Better logo. These vehicles extend our reach into the eight counties that make up our service area. They are on the road daily with a heavy schedule of donation pickup and food delivery.

Usually, food delivery is targeted to the 130 programs receiving food from our warehouse. These deliveries are scheduled weekly. Pantry reps and staff from programs in our network order the food they want from our all-inclusive inventory list that is updated on our Web page every morning. More than 60,000 pounds of food, about 10 percent of our inventory, goes out each week to programs providing food to needy neighbors. Another 16,000 pounds are distributed through our Tailgate Program, with two deliveries per week adding up to one tailgate a month in each of our eight counties.

The Tailgate Program can be considered a supplement to the pantries and meal programs in each county. Pantries might be open daily, weekly, monthly or bi-monthly. Some are open multiple times a week but limit the number of times per month a person can come in for food. Capacity to serve and resources with which to serve often determine how often the site is open and how often a client can visit. The Tailgate Program offers one more way for low-income people to get food for their families.

Second Harvest staff works with local charities and businesses to set up the tailgate schedule. Joe Fox does the scheduling and selects the food items for the food distribution. Dan Terrill, the driver, is responsible for hauling the food to the site and overseeing the distribution process. He counts on volunteers from our network and from local businesses to be there to help load client cars and keep a count of those served. Gary Benefiel is our alternate driver.

During an average tailgate, 8,000 pounds of food is given out in less than two hours to 250 families. Each family gets four or five items. Items could include fresh produce, a case of a beverage, a meal component such as soup, and a snack item. What is given depends on what is available at the Second Harvest Food Bank warehouse.

We try to keep the same monthly schedule for each county, but any tailgate distribution is subject to change. People interested in attending as volunteers or recipients should check their local newspapers and radio stations to confirm dates and times. You can also confirm at our Web site www.curehunger.org.

For the month of February we have scheduled as follows:

Saturday – The Horizon Center (Super Saturday) in Muncie, 10 a.m.

Friday, Feb. 8 – Blackford County Fairgrounds in Hartford City, 10 a.m.

Friday, Feb. 8 - Wabash Senior Citizen Center in Wabash, 11 a.m.

Friday, Feb. 15 – Moose Family Center in New Castle with United Fund, 9 a.m.

Friday, Feb. 22 – St. Martin Community Center in Marion, 12:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 29 – Buley Community Center in Muncie, 9 a.m.

Friday, Feb. 29 – Athletic Park in Anderson, 2 p.m.

Tailgates in Jay and Randolph counties are to be announced for February. We need volunteers for both counties in order to schedule. Portland and Winchester are the usual locations. Children and Family Services board members, staff and volunteers usually provide strong leadership for the tailgate distributions in those counties but are unable to do so in February.

Anyone interested in helping out at any tailgate should phone Tiffany Jones or Joe Fox at Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana. You can reach us at (765) 287-8698.

(Lois Rockhill is executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana. She can be reached at lrockhill@curehunger.org.)

Second Harvest Column: Dream Ball Information

kpaul.mallasch — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:13:09 -0800

By Lois Rockhill

A black, curly-haired puppy will be featured at the Dream Ball the evening of Feb. 2. The little boy is a miniature golden doodle. He will grow up to weigh about 26 pounds and won’t shed much if at all, making him a great addition to a family of allergy prone humans.

His heritage is golden retriever and miniature poodle. Being a golden doodle brings together the best of both breeds with fewer health concerns according to the Web site. He is being offered at auction by Doodle Darlings by Glory Lane in Pendleton to raise money so human little boys and girls will have enough to eat.

You can see a cute picture at http://www.doodledarlings.com. If that furry little face calls you to the Dream Ball, phone Tiffany Jones at (765) 287-8698 Ext. 100 to make your reservation. If your puppy quota has already been met, you might be interested in some of the other ways to end hunger and feed hope for people in need in east central Indiana.

The live auction with our wonderful showman Jeff Boone will offer a couple of packages including hotel stays, carriage rides and other amenities. Father Bob Williams, pastor at St. Mary’s church in Anderson and a renowned regional chef, is offering a Dinner at the Rectory with food, spirits and entertainment. Tom and Bobbette Snyder are providing a weekend at Lake Tippecanoe and Fadely’s The Jeweler has donated an exquisite necklace.

Over at the silent auction tables, patrons will bid for services, gift certificates and lovely items donated from throughout the regional community. I picked up a man’s stainless bracelet from Standt’s Fine Jewelry, ready perhaps to be engraved for your Valentine.

The Snyders will emcee the evening, sharing food bank facts and encouraging all to participate. There will be plenty of time to enjoy food and friends and to dance to the music of the Endless Summer Band. You will love how Kathy Flemming from Seasons of the Heart highlights the beautiful ballroom with awesome decorations.

We are delighted to have Tom and Bobbette Snyder as our honorary chairs. They are both longtime friends of Second Harvest and of the community. Tom is the new president of Ivy Tech Community College and Bobbette is the executive director of the Leadership Academy of Madison County.

By the end of the evening Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana hopes to raise $30,000. Corporate sponsors are covering expenses allowing all money raised through the auction and reservations to be used for hunger relief.

Saint John’s Health System is the featured sponsor this year. Associate sponsors include Prairie Farms Dairy, Old National Bank, DelTec Information Solutions, Community Hospital Anderson and First Merchants Bank of Central Indiana. Don’t be surprised if you see a couple more added by event day as some approvals are still moving through the corporate channels! Contributing sponsors are Friends of Second Harvest, Larry and Louann Contos, and W.R. Duncan & Son Inc.

Second Harvest Food Bank exists so that the most vulnerable people in this eight-county region will be free from hunger. We do this through advocacy and by soliciting, storing and distributing food designated for families struggling to make ends meet.

Our operational budget is $700,000. This does not include the value of the product we handle. The money allows us to secure and distribute three to four million pounds of donated food a year. Funds come from individuals, businesses, foundations, United Way, United Fund and other grants, as well as support from the pantries and meal programs we supply.

The Dream Ball is a special event and the biggest one we do. Most people attending give to Second Harvest at other times during the year or belong to organizations that do. The event offers the opportunity for friends of the food bank to come together for a wonderful evening, to raise money collectively and to have fun while doing so.

If a fancy, schmancy dance with a got-to-love-it auction sounds good to you, we hope you call to reserve your place at a table. You will join a crowd of nice people and every dollar you spend will provide five pounds of food for a community neighbor in need.

We hope to see you at 6 p.m. Saturday night, Feb. 2, at the historic Paramount Centre Ballroom in downtown Anderson ... ruff, ruff, ruff … is that a golden doodle pup I hear? Is he calling for his new family? Does it sound like the doggie version of your name? Well then, be sure to call Tiffany today!

Lois Rockhill is executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana. She can be reached at lrockhill@curehunger.org

Second Harvest Column: Omnibus Bill Earmarks

kpaul.mallasch — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 03:00:05 -0800

By Lois Rockhill

Oh those earmarks! And I'm not talking about a bump on your lobe, or the lines your sunglasses make on the top of your ear. If President George W. Bush signs the Omnibus Bill this week, Second Harvest Food Bank is apt to get a $700,000 earmark.

Wikipedia, the free internet encyclopedia, says that "earmark is a term that dates to the 16th century, originally referring to cuts or marks in the ears of cattle and sheep made to show ownership. Today it is commonly used to refer to an institution's ability to designate funds for a specific use or owner. In U.S. politics, an earmark refers to congressional provisions that direct funds to be spent on specific projects."

In our case, Senator Richard Lugar felt that our need to relocate was urgent enough that he asked Congress to designate a million dollars of federal funds to get the job done. The Senate Appropriations Committee agreed with him and the Senate as a whole voted for it. Next it went to the House and was approved but reduced to $700,000 for reasons unknown.

The money for this earmark is coming out of the FY2008 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. This bill and ten others were all rolled into one $555 billion omnibus appropriations bill in an effort to fund the government in 2008. Congress passed it on Dec 17, 18, and 19.

On December 20 President Bush congratulated Congress for their progress but said he wanted to see if earmarks could be removed before he signed the bill. With that in mind he signed a stop-gap spending bill last Friday to keep the government running until his folks could take another look at this 1,600 page document. The word is that it is unlikely that earmarks will be removed but we won't know anything until after December 31.

If we do get an appropriation, our renovations at our Delaware County site will leap forward. We may get out of those construction trailer offices we are renting, re-roof building #2, get the pot holes out of our road system and cover the peeling paint on the exterior buildings.

I know there are strong feelings for and against earmarks. Hoosiers should be pleased that Senator Lugar takes these special appropriations seriously and expects accountability. He visited us in our Anderson location and keeps close tabs on the nine regional food banks throughout the state. He supports our anti-hunger work at every opportunity. Although we are not government entities, tapping some government resources to help us get food to Hoosiers in need makes sense.

If the news is not good about the earmark, if President Bush finds a way to strip the Omnibus Bill of the attached earmarks, all will not be lost. We have already had enormously generous support from East Central Indiana and know there is more to come. The Community Foundations in our region have donated more than $100,000 toward capital, endowment and increased program costs and they aren't done yet!

The Ball Brothers Foundation made a $300,000 grant and the George and Frances Ball Foundation pledged $100,000. There have been many gifts and pledges that have excited us not only in their importance in meeting the need, but in their confirmation and encouragement.

It's a big job moving a business. It's expensive and it takes a lot of time and energy. We would not have done it if the condition of our Anderson facility hadn't forced our hand. But, what a great warehouse we found and what wonderful opportunities are coming our way. Our huge warehouse, freezer and refrigerator are filling up with a great selection of food items.

Our staunch friends at Prairie Farms in Anderson, Marsh perishable warehouse in Yorktown, Wal-Mart distribution center in Gas City and Meridian Foods in Eaton, to name a few, are providing a great variety of nutritious products. Our network of 130 pantries and meal programs in East Central Indiana are getting more food to help the 63,900 people who pass through their doors each year.

Mr.. President, if you sign that bill please be assured that this is one earmark that will work for the good of many thousands of people in East Central Indiana.

Lois Rockhill is Executive Director of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana, Inc.