Date: March 11, 2010

Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:00p.m.

Place: Healthy East Chicago, 100 West Chicago Avenue, East Chicago, IN 46312-3260

Map to Healthy East Chicago

Be sure to read and meet the eligibility and deadline requirements here.

Be sure to read and meet the eligibility and deadline requirements here.

Be sure to read and meet the eligibility and deadline requirements here.

Be sure to read and meet the eligibility and deadline requirements here.

GARY | Eight food pantries in East Chicago will continue battling hunger throughout the city thanks to a grant from the Foundations of East Chicago to the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana.

The $45,000 donation is part of a collaborative effort between the boards of the Foundations and the Food Bank, said Tyrone Spann during a news conference Thursday at the Gary-based food distribution center. It will help the eight pantries provide food through the remainder of 2009 and 2010, said Spann, who is director of programming for the Foundations of East Chicago. Each of the eight East Chicago food pantries affiliated with the Food Bank will receive $5,625 in credit to purchase food at a discount from the
facility. The 102 food pantries and soup kitchens in Lake and Porter counties purchase food provided by the U. S. Department of Agriculture and donors at the wholesale price of 18 cents a pound. This grant allows the East Chicago-based pantry staffs to buy food for 15 cents a pound.

The donation will also help the pantries meet their monetary match required by the USDA, Spann said.

“This was the vision of Angie Williams (food bank executive director) to take the initiative with her staff,” Spann said. “The need today is greater, but the dollar amounts are dwindling. This is a natural fit to make this work more effective.”

The eight East Chicago food pantries participating in this program include:

• Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, 3902-06 Alexander Ave.
• Catholic Charities, 3901 Fir St.
• God First Ministries, 801 East Chicago Ave.
• House of Glory Word Outreach Center, 4009 Fir St.
• Iglesia del Nazareno East Chicago, 9 I9 West Chicago Ave.
• Meek Missionary Baptist Church, 4830 Alexander Ave.
• New Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, 3924 Kennedy Ave.
• The Salvation Army East Chicago Corps, 513 W. Chicago Ave.

Williams said the partnership with the Foundations of East Chicago dovetails with the food bank’s mission to provide food six days a week and to reach school-aged children and their families.

“East Chicago has the best infrastructure with the community centers near the schools. It’s ideal for the pilot program,” Williams said.

The pilot program will link East Chicago’s food pantries electronically with the food bank and Williams wants to eventually link all 102 pantries and soup kitchens in Lake and Porter counties to the food bank. East Chicago schools also participate in the food bank’s Kids Tracks program to provide food for children and get the word out to their parents about food pantries. Sister Barbara Sable, of Catholic Family Services, said this partnership is a blessing for all those who provide for the hungry.

“When we share, there is more for everyone,” said Sable, who serves as director of emergency services for the Gary Diocese.

For those who have run God First Ministries food pantry since 2005, the grant “will enhance the community and become a beacon on the comer to the residents who come looking for food,” said Bobbie Hawkins, president of the outreach ministry.

The two entities have entered into a partnership where in the foundation has given the food bank $45,000 on behalf of the eight pantries, which will use the money to supplement their budgets. The foundation presented the foodbank with a check Thursday at the foodbank’s Gary headquarters.

Through the partnership, each of the pantries will receive $5,625 and the opportunity to purchase food through the food bank at a discount between 30 and 40 percent, director Angie Williams said. That will mean the pantries will be able to purchase food at 15 cents per pound in most cases.

The foundation has been funding the pantries to the tune of $5,000 per year for six or seven years, according to Tyrone Spann, the foundation’s director of programming. But they wanted to take the investment a step further.

“We want to see if this is a more effective way to meet the increase (of people using the
pantries), stretch dollars and best serve clientele,” Spann said. “If it works and is good for both of us, the program may be expanded to other communities. Plus, this guarantees the pantries are able to make their USDA match.”

Williams estimates the pantries will see a 20 percent increase in purchasing power, something Antioch Missionary Baptist Pantry Director Birdie Morris and Assistant Director Willie Williams can’t wait to get.

“I need money for Christmas,” Morris said.

Eight Churches in Need

The eight food pantries from the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana/Foundations of East Chicago
partnership are:

• Antioch Missionary Baptist Church.
  3902-06 Alexander Ave.
• Catholic Charities.
  3901 Fir St.
• God First Ministries.
  801 E. Chicago Ave.
• 4009
  Fir St.

• Iglesia del Nazareno
  919 W.Chicago Ave.
• Meek Missionary Baptist Church
  4830 Alexander Ave.
• New Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church
  3924 Kennedy Ave.
• The Salvation Army East Chicago Corps
  513 W. Chicago Ave.

The utility, through its Gift of Warmth program, is matching the amount to bring the total to $100,000.

“We want to make sure we keep the families in East Chicago warm
and safe this winter:’ NIPSCO Public Affairs Officer Michael Suggs said. “NIPSCO is proud to be part of this collaboration!”

Shirley Davis, chief operating officer for Greater First Baptist Church, and Charles Morris representing Faith Temple Church of God, said the heating assistance program has
helped members and clients of theirs and is “a blessing!”

“You don’t find too many organizations taking funds to help citizens:” Morris said.

Foundations of East Chicago Executive Director Russell Taylor said the organization has given over
$230,000 to the heating assistance program since 2003.

East Chicago residents who want information about the heating assistance program can call (219) 398-2939.