New two-year budget awards more than $2 million in funding for food banks

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture announced last week state food banks will receive $2 million in funding from the legislature. The Indiana General Assembly awarded this money to the state’s 11 food banks as part of the biennial budget.

According to Feeding Indiana’s Hungry, 13 percent of Hoosiers experienced food insecurity at its highest month in 2022. Additionally, more than 887,000 Hoosiers were at risk of hunger.

In a press release, Feeding Indiana’s Hungry executive director Emily Bryant said many relief programs that “help families make ends meet” have ended or tapered – meaning this funding will be helpful and timely.

Julia Alonso, CEO of Hoosier Hills Food Bank in Bloomington, also said this increase is timely – citing increased costs and inflation in recent years.

Indiana’s 11 food banks each received a portion of this $2 million in funding. These food banks also feed into community food pantries, distribution centers and soup kitchens – meaning they will be supported by this funding.

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The state’s food banks each received different amounts of money as listed below:

• Community Harvest Food Bank

  $200,000.00

• Dare to Care Food Bank

  $72,200.00

• Food Bank of Northern Indiana

  $233,000.00

• Food Bank of Northwest Indiana

  $195,200.00

• Food Finders Food Bank, Inc.

  $185,000.00

• FreeStore Foodbank

  $16,600.00

• Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Inc.

  $643,600.00

• Hoosier Hills Food Bank, Inc.

  $86,200.00

• Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central IN, Inc.

  $157,400.00

• Terre Haute Catholic Charities Foodbank, Inc.

  $87,800.00

• Tri-State Food Bank, Inc.

  $123,000.00

Violet is our daily news reporter. Contact her at vcomberwilen@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @ComberWilen.

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