Democratic incumbent Joe Hogsett and Republican challenger Jim Merritt's first face to face mayoral debate focused on fighting poverty and raising the minimum wage.

Today Republican mayoral candidate Jim Merritt announced his plans to end food insecurity in Indianapolis through four initiatives.

A third of food insecure people make just enough money and are ineligible for federal food assistance programs like SNAP.

The bill would provide grants or loans to projects like food markets, farms or distribution initiatives to address healthy food access in underserved communities.

The partnership aims to increase awareness about child hunger, which affects one in five kids in the state.

Food Compass and was created as part of a competition to address civic problems through technology.

Indiana has a nearly 19-percent "food hardship" rate for households with children.

SNAP and other food assistance is up for renewal through the Farm Bill that is in a U.S. House conference committee.

The funding from the State Department of Agriculture was announced Monday by Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, who says food banks "are doing truly extraordinary things."

An annual report measures the rate of food insecurity in Indiana slightly under the national average.