COMPLETED PROJECTS

IHN conducted a pilot project to provide food resources to families in need of assistance through a network of on-site social workers working at local apartment complexes.

IHN helped Gleaners Food Bank with process improvements related to the BackSacks program, which provided nutritious, kid-friendly, shelf-stable foods to K-6 students over weekends. BackSacks was a successful and important program run by Gleaners and ended in 2020.

IHN and the Marion County Public Health Department led a quantitative, county-wide survey of offerings for nutrition and cooking programs. Results showed that the  capacity for multi-session cooking classes was only half of what was needed. A suitable curriculum was identified in Cooking Matters, and a scalable model was piloted in an initial set of five classes. Quantitative metrics supported continuing and expanding the offerings.

Fresh Bucks is a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) incentive program established in 2013 to enhance economical access to healthy food. The program doubles SNAP dollars to be spent on fruits and vegetables, up to $20 a day. IHN has transferred the management of Fresh Bucks to the Marion County Public Health Department, and several farmers’ markets are continuing to offer Fresh Bucks.

An IHN VISTA led the formation of the Glean Team in 2013 as a response to the amount of food wasted from field to fork. The Glean Team utilized volunteers to harvest excess and imperfect produce from local farms, gardens, and farmers’ markets. The program delivered over 15,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables in its inaugural 2013 season and was subsequently transferred to an area nonprofit.

The technical talents of GIS mappers at Dow AgroSciences (now Corteva) have been used over the years to improve service by mapping locations and service volumes of pantries, WIC clinics, and congregate meal sites. This information has been used by IHN to assist in identifying new service locations.

Due to isolation and other factors, seniors who experience food insecurity, especially in low-income areas, often don’t receive needed food assistance. To help address this issue, IHN joined a coordinated, multi-pronged effort in zip code area 46218 through Meals on Wheels and Edna Martin Christian Center.

Pantry Partners was a collaborative effort to develop a network of high impact pantries in Central Indiana. This work was led by Gleaners with support from Interfaith Hunger Initiative, St. Vincent de Paul, and Indy Hunger Network. IHN funded major capital needs to increase capacity at these pantries, and helped pantries adopt best practices.

In collaboration with Washington Township school administrators, IHN VISTAs spearheaded a pilot program focused on reaching parents at Fox Hill Elementary School. Lessons were learned about the importance of working through a trusted partner in the community.

Many people in need are not accessing food resources or federal benefit programs for which they qualify, because the system is complicated and difficult to navigate, especially for people in challenging circumstances. A recent IHN study indicated that many people do not understand the eligibility requirements for SNAP. IHN is exploring ideas for facilitating SNAP enrollment, such as creating a system of navigators to help people access the food resources they need and improving access to eligibility information.

Summer Servings, which provided free, nutritious meals to children in low-income areas during the summer, was underutilized due to a lack of awareness of the program. From 2011 to 2016, IHN supported new branding and promotions including kickoff press events, yard signs, banners, billboards, door hangers, flyers, radio and TV appearances, bus wraps, and an improved website. We recruited summer VISTAs who canvassed in targeted areas and sponsored an annual summit and small grant program for site sponsors. Together, these efforts contributed to an overall 25% increase in meals, yet continuing awareness and access issues led IHN to discontinue active support.

The WeCare program, led by the Regenstrief Institute, aims to reduce infant mortality through education and assistance to pregnant women and new parents. IHN is partnering with Regenstrief at federally qualified health centers to provide “barrier busters” such as gas cards, bus passes, car seats, emergency food packs and grocery gift cards to help this target population reduce food insecurity and improve outcomes for infants.