Bartholomew County residents can ensure children have enough to eat this summer by participating in the Community-Wide Food Drive this spring.
United Way of Bartholomew County and the Bartholomew County Food Insecurity Coalition are hosting the food drive from April 29 to May 31. The organizations’ leaders hope that the food drive will give the food pantries enough donations and canned goods to stock their pantries over the summer without dipping into their internal budgets to buy basic non-perishable food.
This year marks the second year of the community food drive in Bartholomew County. The results of last year’s food drive represented the largest single fundraiser/donation to Love Chapel, said Kelly Daugherty, executive director of Love Chapel, the community’s largest food pantry.
“As the needs have doubled over the last two years, this drive is vital to meeting those needs,” Daugherty said.
All the food and donations collected will be split between Love Chapel, Salvation Army, and Community Center of Hope.
Churches and businesses throughout the community are running internal food drives throughout this time. People can also drop off food donations at United Way’s firehouse building, 1304 Hutchins Ave.
The Bartholomew County Food Insecurity Coalition and the food pantries have requested that donations be non-perishable, nutritious foods that are low-sodium and low-sugar, when possible.
Monetary donations can be made online by going to uwbarthco.org and clicking on “Community Food Drive,” and then “Give a Gift.”
