September is Hunger Action Month to raise awareness about how prevalent hunger and food insecurity is in America and what impact you can make. According to the USDA, more than 34 million people, including 9 million children, in the United States are food insecure, not knowing where their next meal will come from. In fact, every county in the US faces some degree of food insecurity within their communities. In Delaware County over 17% of the population is food insecure.
There are many organizations in our community who help those in need by providing a meal or food that they can take home to prepare if they are facing hunger or food insecurity. When people are fed or have access to nutritious foods it brings them hope and the potential to thrive. So what can you do you ask? Join the Soup Kitchen of Muncie this Saturday, September 16th for our Second Annual Stuff-A-Bus Food Drive.
From 10am-2pm a Muncie Community Schools school bus will be parked outside the Pay Less Supermarket on Tillotson waiting to be filled with groceries, supplies, and donations. A wish list of the most needed items will be available at the information tent as well as inside the store. Any donation big or small helps make a difference to those in need.
Donations made at the Stuff-A-Bus food drive will benefit three community organizations: The Soup Kitchen of Muncie, the Southside Middle School Panther Pantry, and the Ball State Cardinal Kitchen. Each of these groups serve a different segment of the population that is affected by hunger or food insecurity in our community.
The Soup Kitchen of Muncie is a non-profit, non-sectarian soup kitchen that serves those in need of food in Muncie and the Delaware County Community. They serve all who are hungry with dignity and respect. Guests receive a hot meal and sack lunch.
The Panther Pantry was created in 2015 as a resource for the Southside students and their families. The program started with four students that took food home every week. The program now provides for over 160 students weekly. The pantry also provides clothing and other essential hygiene items for the students and their families. They have several programs including the BackPack program and the Family Food Giveaway. All questions regarding the pantry should be directed to the pantry coordinator, Deb Huston at Debra.Huston@muncieschools.org or visit https://sms.muncie.k12.in.us/departmentsresources/panther-pantry
The Cardinal Kitchen is Ball State University’s on-campus food pantry that offers nutritional items and hygiene products for any graduate or undergraduate student at no cost. For more information visit bsu.edu/cardinalkitchen
