The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana received funding from the JewelOsco Foundation ($87,000), Franciscan Alliance ($10,000), Walmart Foundation through Feeding America ($35,000), Legacy Foundation ($15,000), and the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration ($35,785.20) to address hunger across Lake & Porter Counties through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) education and outreach. SNAP is the largest federal program dedicated to providing temporary monthly benefits to individuals who are income challenged and facing food insecurity. SNAP provides electronic benefits that allow individuals the freedom to purchase groceries as needed.
“SNAP serves as our first line of defense against hunger. Increasing participation in SNAP will reduce food insecurity and improve the overall strength and health of our communities. Legacy Foundation was happy to provide the initial funding to help launch this impactful program”, said Kelly Anoe, Vice President of Legacy Foundation.
In the State of Indiana, SNAP provides supplemental nutrition to nearly 800,000 Hoosiers. This includes working families, seniors, and other vulnerable people struggling to put food on the table. With every $1 distributed through the SNAP program, the economic impact on the local community nearly doubles for food providers.
“SNAP is one of the most effective and efficient ways to provide food assistance. Families are buying the food they need from local retailers while also stimulating our local economy”, said Victor A. Garcia, CEO of the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. “It’s more practical for someone to use their SNAP card at the closest grocery store, than to visit a local food pantry”.
“Partnering with the Food Bank of NW Indiana to provide food assistance remains a high priority,” said Jewel-Osco President Mike Withers. “As the region sees an increase in SNAP recipients, we recognize that having access to healthy foods is more important than ever, and we want to help.”
With the grant funds, the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana hopes to scale access to SNAP among eligible households, with particular emphasis on reaching ALICE families, seniors, and community college students who are at-risk for hunger. The grant will support a SNAP outreach specialist, transportation, marketing materials, workshops, a hotline, ongoing education, outreach, and application assistance. Since October 2020, the Food Bank helped an additional 250+ people submit SNAP applications.
“1 in 7 people in the Region have limited or no access to healthy, nutritious food. At the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, we work to help fill this need, but programs like SNAP amplify this work and more effectively boost the supply of nutritious food for those facing food insecurity”, said Garcia.
“In fidelity to our Franciscan Mission, addressing the social determinants of health, including, but not limited to food insecurity, plays a vital role in continuing to excel long-term change for our communities, as well as continuing much-needed outreach services to our most vulnerable”, said Danielle Crowder, Community Health Improvement Manager at Franciscan Health. “Franciscan is committed to combating such needs in collaboration with long-time community partner, Food Bank of Northwest Indiana”, said Crowder.
Families interested in SNAP application assistance can visit: https://foodbanknwi.org/SNAP/.