Indy Hunger Network brochure

About Connect2Help™ 2-1-1
About Our Work
Connect2Help™ is a non-profit organization supported
exclusively through philanthropic dollars. They connect people
with hundreds of human service agencies available throughout
Central Indiana, including more than 400 food pantries, soup
kitchens, and meal sites, as well as information on SNAP
(food stamps) and other food programs available to families,
children, seniors and anyone who may need help getting food.
The Indy Hunger Network is a coalition of representatives
from leading anti-hunger organizations, both public and
private, in Indianapolis. It is an all-volunteer-led organization.
According to Connect2Help 2-1-1, for the period May–July
2012, almost 7,300 callers requested help to feed their families.
This is a 16% increase compared to the same timeframe in
2011. There were 30,000 calls to 2-1-1 for food assistance
in 2011. Calls from seniors in the Indianapolis area increased
93% in the last three years, with utility bills, housing and food
issues being the top three needs. Emergency food from food
pantries and questions about SNAP (food stamps) increased
76% and 42% respectively.
The food system that feeds the hungry is large and complex.
We believe that by working together to make the system
more efficient and effective, we can dramatically reduce
hunger. We have identified targeted approaches that community
organizations, businesses, members of faith communities and
individuals can join to help fight hunger.
What We Do
Get Involved!
•Foster collaboration and build on the strengths and
capabilities of the many existing food-providing community
organizations, encouraging public support of them
Find out what you can do by visiting our website
at IndyHunger.org and sign up for our E-newsletter!
•Services are FREE and confidential
You can also check out the volunteer opportunities
available at some of our community partner
organizations:
•Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions
•Establish projects to make improvements
www.cicoa.org
•Serve as advocates where needed and appropriate
Connect2Help
•Monitor health of overall food system
•Provides overnight, weekend and emergency backup for
other 2-1-1 call centers around the state of Indiana
•Connect2Help 2-1-1 serves Marion County and the
surrounding counties—Boone, Clay, Hamilton, Hancock,
Hendricks, Johnson, Morgan, Parke, Shelby, Sullivan,
Vermillion and Vigo
Know someone who needs assistance? Direct them to
call 2-1-1 or visit connect2help.org for more information.
•Identify key opportunities to make the food system work
better for hungry people
www.connect2help.org
•Create awareness for hunger assistance
Elders at the Table (EAT)
www.eatcoalition.org
What We Don’t Do
Gleaners Food Bank
•Usurp authority of individual organizations
www.gleaners.org
•Conduct food operations
Interfaith Hunger Initiative
www.interfaithhungerinitiative.org
Meals on Wheels
www.mealsonwheelsindy.org
Midwest Food Bank
www.midwestfoodbank.org
Second Helpings
www.secondhelpings.org
St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP)
www.svdpindy.org
3737 Waldemere Ave., Suite 200, Indianapolis, IN 46241
indyhunger.org | 317.925.0191 ext.116
Our Goal
Our goal is to create a system
by 2015 that ensures anyone
who is hungry can access
the nutritious food they need.
Current Programs and Opportunities
Indy Hunger Network’s Accomplishments
Summer Servings Program
GOAL: Increase summer meals by 20% in 2013
• Public Launch of IHN – Included comprehensive
media coverage, website launch, and presentation
at the Voices Uniting to End Hunger Conference.
Summer Servings is part of the U.S. Department
of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program which
provides nutritious meals to children in low-income areas
during the summer months when the National School
Lunch and School Breakfast Programs are not available.
The program is funded by the USDA and administered
locally through the Indiana Department of Education.
Summer Servings provides free meals to youth ages 18
and under at 200 sites across Marion County. The Indy
Hunger Network is increasing the utilization of Summer
Servings through promotions and research.
Visit www.summerservings.org for more information.
• Summer Servings – Organized annual kick-off press
conferences in conjunction with Mayor’s office and
city-wide branding effort.
• Hunger Benchmarking – Researched “Free
Communities” efforts in CO, MN, MD, DC and OH.
• Established Hunger Goal – Used missing meals model
to establish goal of providing 27 million more meals by
2015 to meet Indianapolis’ need.
Pantry Partner Program
GOAL: Add two new Pantry Partners by end of 2013
A collaborative effort with Gleaners Food Bank and the
Interfaith Hunger Initiative, the Pantry Partner program
assists leading Indianapolis-area pantries to enhance
and expand their services so they may meet the needs
of hungry families. The essential aim of this program is
increased capacity and more locations.
School Breakfast Program
GOAL: Increase the number of children who
receive school breakfasts by 10% by the end
of the 2013–2014 academic year
Students who have not eaten breakfast do not perform
as well in school. Reports from area teachers indicate this
is a frequent issue. In Marion County, there are half as many
breakfasts provided under the National School Breakfast
Program as there are lunches. Approximately 34,000
children receive free and reduced lunch. With the help
of participating food service directors, we have written
a guidebook for new schools wishing to begin a Breakfast
in the Classroom program. Visit www.indyhunger.org
to locate the guidebook.
• School Breakfast – Launched five “Universal
In-The-Classroom Breakfast” programs in Perry and
Washington townships. Created a planning guide to
assist schools considering adding a breakfast program.
About Our Network Members
“Hunger isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ problem.
Each organization brings its own unique
expertise, experience and resources to
the table. Together we have been able
to identify gaps and explore opportunities
that might have otherwise been overlooked,
and our community is stronger for it.”
~Jennifer Vigran, CEO of Second Helpings
We are truly fortunate to be partnering with such
generous and caring organizations, including:
• CICOA Aging & In-Home
Solutions
• Indianapolis Mayor’s
Office
• Connect2Help
• Interfaith Hunger Initiative
• Elders at the Table (EAT)
• Elanco
• Marion County Health
Department (WIC program)
• Eli Lilly and Company
• Meals on Wheels
• Department of Education
• Midwest Food Bank
• Gleaners Food Bank
• Publicis
• Indiana Family & Social
Services Administration
(SNAP program)
• Second Helpings
• St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP)
• Feeding Indy’s Future Leadership Breakfast –
Informed community leaders of our city’s hunger issue
and asked for involvement. This event was held on
World Food Day 2012.
• Staffing – Grew resources to assist with advocacy,
strategic planning, and operational support.
• Funding – Received a two-year grant from
Eli Lilly Company Foundation/Elanco to support
the organization’s efforts.
• The FRESH Team – Added this new team to tackle
the need for an increased supply of fresh fruits and
vegetables for food pantries.