INDIANAPOLIS – Many people are stepping up to help during a very uncertain time as the government shutdown continues. One of the many programs impacted is SNAP.
More than half a million Hoosiers rely on SNAP benefits, that includes 120,000 people here in Marion County.
“It’s making it so difficult for people to have food in the house,” said Dennis Burkes, a Marion County resident. “You know, to feed their kids and feed themselves.”
The fears are only growing as the government shutdown goes into another day.
“They are blaming one another instead of fixing the problem for the people,” Burkes said.
In this time of uncertainty, the local community is finding a way to help.
“Our community is stepping up. Our churches are stepping up. Our philanthropic community is stepping up to make sure that our neighbors here in the city of Indianapolis do not go hungry irrespective of the circumstances,” Mayor Joe Hogsett said.
On Saturday, hundreds of people came out to the Bethel Cathedral AME Church for the first of ten food distribution events planned in Marion County this month.
“We believe that in times like these it’s up on us to step up and be a support for our neighbors,” said Carlos Perkins, the senior pastor at the church and a member of the Indianapolis City-County Council.
The support comes from a number of people and organizations. That includes an anonymous $500,000 donation that helped start the Central Indiana Food Relief Fund.
“The residents in Marion County stepped up to say, ‘We will not allow our fellow brothers and sisters to go hungry in this season,’” Perkins said.
Now more than $1 million has been raised to help make events like this one possible.
“It’s transformative in terms of providing food for those who are in such crucial need today,” Hogsett said.
There are still nine more food distribution events planned this month all with the goal of making sure nobody goes hungry during these uncertain times. The dates of the next nine events are listed below.
- November 8, 12 to 2 p.m.: Fountain Square Church of Christ | 1041 Spruce St., 46230
- November 15, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Charity Cares | 959 N. Holmes Ave., 46222
- November 15, 12 to 3 p.m.: Eclectic Souls VOICES Corp.| 9501 E. 36th Pl., 46235
- November 19, 8:30 a.m.: Rock of the World, Salt of the Earth | 8833 Bel Air Dr., 46226
- November 20, 4 to 6 p.m.: with Indy Peace | 1825 E. 25th St., 46218
- November 24, 3 to 5 p.m.: Lawrence Park | 5301 N. Franklin Drive
- November 25, 12 to 2:30 p.m.: Breeding Tabernacle CME | 3670 N. Leland Ave., 46218
- November 26, 3 to 5 p.m.: Stanley Strader | 2850 Bethel Ave., 46203
For more information on the Central Indiana Food Relief Fund, click here for our previous coverage.
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