More than 50 million people across the nation face hunger every day. In Indiana, 1.1 million individuals require food assistance annually and of those, 33 percent are children, 13 percent are seniors and 22 percent of households include a veteran. And for many of the residents of East Chicago, many are finding it hard to put food on the table and are having to making tough choices to keep from going hungry.

 

According to the Hunger in America 2014 study, one in six Indiana residents turned to one of Feeding Indiana’s Hungry 11 food banks during the course of this past year, according to Executive Director Emily Weikert Bryant.

 

She said the study found that many people are making tough decisions to keep from going hungry.

 

“When coming to decisions between food and medicine or medical care, 45 percent of our client households are choosing every month, whether to pay for their medication or buy the foods that they need,” she explained. “That’s a significant challenge to a number of clients that we serve.”

 

Since 2009, the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana has been battling hunger in East Chicago thanks in part due to grants awarded by Foundations of East Chicago.

The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana provides East Chicago food pantries and soup kitchens with food and grocery products at a discount price that is less expensive than retail price. Currently, nine local churches (*see list of locations below), Salvation Army and Catholic Family Services receive food from the funding received by the food bank.

 

To date, more than 22, 000 individuals have been served by East Chicago Food Pantries.

 

Find out how you can help by advocating, volunteering or donating by visiting www.foodbanknwi.org.

 

*East Chicago Food Pantries

 

*Antioch Baptist Pantry (219) 398-2589

*Catholic Charities Pantry (219) 397-5803

*Community Food Pantry (219) 398-2341

*Community Fellowship Food Pantry (219) 378-1965

*Greater First Baptist Pantry (219) 378-0914

*House of Glory Food Pantry (219) 392-1457

*Meek Baptist Food Pantry (219) 398-0810

*The Mission of Jesus Christ Food Pantry (219) 398-7207

*St. Mark AME Zion Food Pantry (219) 398-4653

*Salvation Army of EC Soup Kitchen & Food Pantry (219) 398-2939

*St. Luke Soup Kitchen (219) 397-1626