According to the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, 4 million U.S. adults over the age of 60 are considered to be food insecure, meaning they are not certain whether they will be able to afford their next meal. Northwest Indiana seniors are not exempt from this group.
Over the last year, the Food Bank of NWI has partnered with several companies and organizations, including the Foundations of East Chicago (FEC), to address the issue of senior hunger in the region. This has been done through the implementation and recent expansion of the food bank’s Senior PAC program, also known as CFSP.
The Senior PAC program identifies food insecure seniors in Lake county and gets them signed up to receive a 40 lb. box of food every month from the Food Bank of NWI. The box contains nutritious, easy to prepare options that allow the recipients to maintain a healthy and balanced diet while living within their financial and mobility needs.
The program began in 2014 with 100 seniors across Lake County receiving boxes. However, the food bank recently realized that there was a huge need for the program in East Chicago, specifically. This prompted the food bank’s partnership with FEC which allowed it to double its distribution and to employ refrigerated trucks for the safe delivery of all food items.
The Food Bank of NWI believes that the program not only assists those who are financially insecure, but also those without a means of getting themselves to the grocery store or traditional food bank. Over the past two years, the program’s mission has gotten more attention which has resulted in assistance from partners like Walgreens, Feeding America and Walmart.
For more information on the Food Bank of NWI or the Senior PAC program, visit foundationsec.org.
