Washington Co. Food Bank Hosts Challenge in Response to Lower Government Funding

Submitted by Wm. Spencer-Pierce

Empty shelves are becoming a regular and troubling sight at the Washington County Food Bank.

There is a free program that is affiliated with Dare To Care, a Louisville metro and Southern Indiana non-profit, that distributes USDA foods to 177 area food banks and pantries.

But like many such agencies throughout the country, dramatic reductions in funding are taking a toll on the support available to local efforts.

“Our usual shipment is around 7,000 pounds of shelf stable food per month, but last month the shipment was down to just 4,000 pounds,” said Rhonda Tuttle, local Food Bank Board President. “We are a non-profit organization and are completely dependent on donations.”

All signs point to shortfalls becoming a regular trend, and with school out for the summer, families are in even more need, especially because the State of Indiana has opted out of the federal summer food assistance program. The USDA program was created to address food insecurity when schools are closed.

The local Food Bank serves between 400-600 families per month, and all local grocery outlets provide supplemental support; a crew of volunteers picks up and delivers produce, baked goods, and other items each week.

And although local donations come in regularly, there is no across-the-board coordination, meaning that donated items may not address the needs of local families.

In response to this, the organization is announcing the “Washington County Food Bank Challenge.”

Local churches, businesses, and service organizations are asked to consider making a regular monthly donation of funds and/or shelf-stable goods.

Items most often in need at the Food Bank include canned green beans, corn, fruit, soup, and tomato sauce; spaghetti, macaroni and cheese and cornbread mix; and peanut butter, dried pinto beans, crackers, cheese, margarine, and cereal.

Food Bank leaders note that with children home for the summer, there’s an increased need for items such as toaster Pop Tarts and quick-fix canned items like “Spaghetti-O’s”.

The goal of the Food Bank Challenge is to secure coordinated support from the public in the form of recurring cash donations or multiple cases of shelf-stable items from the following list:

Tomato Sauce, 12 to a flat: $11.40

Canned corn, green beans, 12 to a flat: $7.80

Canned condensed soup, 12 to a flat: $8.28

Peanut Butter, 12 to a flat: $17.88

Pinto Beans, case of 12: $14.28

Macaroni and Cheese, case of 24: $11.46

Spaghetti, case of 16: $12.35

Corn Bread Mix, case of 24: $14.40

Crackers, case of 24: $38.16

Cheese, case of 12: $23.40

Margarine, case of 30: $43.50

The Food Bank suggests that small cans or containers of items like peanut butter, soups, and vegetables are of most need, as these smaller portions can be managed most economically per family size.

In order to best coordinate recurring efforts, interested individuals and community groups are encouraged to check with the Food Bank to see what items are already being donated in quantity.

Monetary donations serve the purpose equally well, and with an all-volunteer staff, administrative costs generally represent only 6% of the Food Bank’s annual budget.

The Washington County Food Bank is located at 106 N. Water Street, Salem, and is open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 am-3 pm. Donations can be made at these times. For more information or to set up recurring donations, call the Food Bank at 812-883-2655.