The recession has dispelled a myth that food pantries and soup kitchens are only visited by poor, inner city people.
Angie Williams, executive director of the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, says in the economic downturn people from all different demographics and backgrounds are seeking help from area food pantries, soup kitchens and emergency shelters.
Northwest Indiana's food bank provides for 101 of these nonprofit agencies in urban, suburban and rural settings in Lake and Porter counties. Last year it purchased 3.5 million tons of food either by truckload wholesale or from local vendors. Contributing to the effort were local individual donations, grocers, farmers, food processors, businesses, manufacturers, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The recent national study "Hunger in America 2010," conducted by Feeding America, formerly known as Second Harvest, reports that within Lake and Porter counties 56,000 different people are served annually with 5,800 different people receiving emergency food assistance in any given week. Of this number 7 percent are Latino, 31 percent are white and 61 percent are black. The report's Feeding Indiana's Hungry, including that for Northwest Indiana, was funded by the Indianapolis-based Lilly Foundation Inc.
Of household members served by the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, 45 percent are children under 18 years and 5 percent are elderly. A total of 25 percent of the households have at least one employed adult, 64 percent have incomes below the federal poverty level and 1 percent are homeless. Choosing between food or other necessities in Lake and Porter counties, it's either food or utilities for 51 percent, rent and mortgage for 46 percent, medicine and medical care for 36 percent and transportation for 39 percent.
Northwest Indiana's food bank, one of nine sites statewide, is a member of the Feeding America network, providing not only food and household supplies to charities serving people trying to make ends meet, but also to those recovering from natural disasters.
While serving on a panel addressing local hunger at Rotary International District 6540's World Affairs Conference on global hunger and extreme poverty, Angie told the high school audience assembled at Purdue University Calumet that she had grown up in a financially struggling family in East Chicago. Her father was a pastor and the family did without to keep the church doors open. Angie was on a free lunch program at school and grew up with loving parents providing a strong home structure.
Angie shared her personal story at the conference because she said, "Global needs can be intimidating to young people asking how they can make a difference halfway around the globe. But they can make a big difference locally."
And that is what is happening.
Conference attendees are planning events at their schools to raise money for and awareness of hunger. Hammond High is hosting an all-school barbecue, Morton will hold a dance, Highland High will produce a talent show, Whiting wants to stage a play and Merrillville is planning an all-school brown bag lunch day with money ordinarily spent on cafeteria food going to the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana.
The opinions are solely those of the writer. Contact her at janetcopywrite@sbcglobal.net.
