Food Finders Food Bank is launching its eleventh annual Drive Away Hunger Fall Food Drive from October 15 through December 4. Drive Away Hunger represents a community-wide effort to raise 600,000 meals during a seven-week campaign. Food Finders is calling on the community to unite in helping to stock the food bank’s supply to ensure that our neighbors facing hunger have enough resources to care for their families this winter.
“Drive Away Hunger is especially important to Food Finders this year as we strive to support those members of our community that struggled with food insecurity before the pandemic and have been the slowest to recover from the economic impact of COVID-19,” says FFFB President/CEO Katy Bunder. “Other households who used the food bank for the first time last year, have not fully recovered due to school closings, supply chain issues and high gas and food costs. Record numbers of households are attending our mobile pantries and using our Fresh Market. Please support the food drive so that Food Finders can help those who still need our support”, Bunder says.
Last fall the food drive crushed the original 550,000 meal goal. For 2021 the goal is increased raise 600,000 meals to keep the food bank stocked throughout the winter months.
“This is our 11th year for this community food drive, and it is more important than ever that we continue to come together and care for one another. We encourage our neighbors to take action against hunger. Anyone can organize a food drive at school, work or their place of worship. Everyone can do something to fight hunger!”, adds Kier Crites Muller, chief engagement officer at Food Finders.
Several area businesses are sponsoring the 2021 food drive to allow Food Finders to increase hunger awareness in our community. Presenting Sponsors include; Cargill, Indiana Kitchen and The Scheumann Foundation; Community Partner sponsor Neuhoff Media Lafayette; Engine sponsors; Caterpillar, Duke Energy and Subaru of Indiana; and Green Light sponsors; Evonik, Valero Renewables, Van Gorder Janitorial, Spero Renewables and WLFI for taking action to end hunger.
According to recent statistics from Feeding America’s “Map the Meal Gap” study, nearly 76,000 residents in Food Finders’ service area face hunger, more than 22,000 of which are children under the age of 18.
Mark your calendar for these community events planned to help raise awareness this fall:
November 24– 12th Annual Feed the Need Day
Neuhoff Media will host its annual food drive at area Pay Less Supermarkets to raise food and funds for Food Finders Food Bank.
November 30– Giving Tuesday
Cargill, Indiana Packers and the Scheumann Foundation, will offer a dollar for dollar match, up to the first $30,000 raised. Double your donation on Giving Tuesday!
Food donation drop-off location:
Food Finders Warehouse at 1210 N. 10thStreet, Lafayette. Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
For complete event details and to find out how to make a difference, visitwww.food-finders.org/DriveAwayHunger.
Food Finders encourages the community to join the effort this year to raise 600,000 meals, together we can Drive Away Hunger.