Indiana — The Kroger Foundation has awarded Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry a grant totaling $5,000 to fund processing fees on donated large game and livestock. “We are very excited about our “Meat” the Need program, “said Debra Treesh, Executive Director of Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry, “and pleased that this Foundation is continually making an investment in our community.”
These funds will be used to assist Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry in paying processing fees for donations of large game and livestock within Indiana. Founded in 2011, Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry encourages the donation of large game and livestock to our “Meat” the Need program, raises financial support to pay processing fees on these donations, and gives this nutritious meat to hunger-relief agencies within Indiana. Hunters and farmers may donate, at no cost to them (farmers may also write-off fair market value on taxes), by taking their large game or livestock to a participating meat processor in their area. The donation will be processed, packaged in 1- to 2-pound packages and frozen. Local hunger-relief agencies will be contacted for pick up and distribution of this nutritious protein back into the community.
Some think that hunger only affects the homeless or unemployed, this is definitely not the case. The economy may be showing signs of improvement but many hardworking Hoosiers are still living paycheck to paycheck, regularly having to choose between paying bills, getting much-needed medicines, and buying groceries. The struggle is real. When you have to live week-to-week, an unexpected bill of any sort (car repair, medical bill, etc..) can affect you immensely, throwing that already tight budget into a downward spiral. According to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap, 31% of Indiana residents who work and who are food insecure don’t qualify for food-assistance programs. These residents have to turn to charitable food assistance networks such as food banks, pantries, hunger ministries, etc… And the hardest commodity for food banks to obtain? Protein, a nutrient that is part of every cell in your body and vital to brain/body development. The individuals and families that Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry serves are reached through food banks and other hunger- relief agencies whose services are strictly for low income and poor populations.
“The grant provided by the Foundation will pay for the processing of approximately 3,900 pounds of donated large game and livestock, which will then be distributed to area hunger-relief agencies – providing almost 15,000 meals to residents in need within our communities,” said Treesh. By assisting individuals and families that are struggling with this situation, the organization gives families the ability to avoid hunger and not have to choose between bills and groceries – allowing those aging and vulnerable populations to get back on track to hunger-free, independent living. In the last six years, Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry has helped to distribute almost 1,159,000 pounds of meat to Indiana food banks, providing over 4.6 million meals to Hoosiers in need.
“To date, we have 83 participating meat processors working within 85 counties in Indiana to aid us in our mission and to ensure residents in need are served,” shared Amber Zecca, Fund Development Director of Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry.
Have you seen hunger in Indiana? Just look around you. It could be a friend, an elderly neighbor, a classmate of your child that is going to bed hungry each night…..
You have the ability to help!