Foundations of East Chicago

12-04-2009 | Help battling hunger in East Chicago

Foundations of East Chicago gives $45,000 to aid eight food pantries

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.