By SHIRLEY BOARDMAN | For The Democrat

HAMBLEN TWP. — A total of 33 volunteers from 16 different agencies came together to deliver a pop-up food distribution at Sprunica Elementary School on Sept. 16, providing more than 4 tons of food to 141 households.

This was the 22nd special food distribution coordinated through COAD, now with collaboration and support of the Northern Brown County Food Alliance and St. Vincent de Paul.

As of last week, more than 40 tons of food has been distributed at the parking lots at Hard Truth Hills, the YMCA, Fruitdale fire department, Van Buren Elementary, St. Vincent de Paul and Sprunica Elementary. Each event has involved reaching out to organizations such as Hoosier Hills Food Bank in Bloomington, Midwest Food Bank in Indianapolis, St. Vincent de Paul in Indianapolis and other local donors to provide food and respond to the challenges brought by the COVID pandemic.

For the Sept. 16 event, hosted by Sprunica Elementary School, Larry Heil brought a truckload of food from St. Vincent de Paul in Indianapolis and Midwest Food, and Jonathan and Rosey Bolte brought more food from the St. Vincent de Paul pantry which had been donated or purchased for this distribution.

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Volunteers assembled food from the pallets on the parking lot. Volunteers from 17 different organizations were identified among the hearts and hands joined together: Brown County COAD and the Brown County Community Foundation, Brown County school corporation, Brown County Sheriff’s Auxiliary, Christianburg United Methodist Church, Church of the Lakes, Cordy-Sweetwater Conservancy District, Emmanuel Church of Greenwood, Girl Scouts, the Jackson Township trustee’s office, Northern Brown County Food Alliance, St. Vincent de Paul Brown County and Indianapolis, St. David’s Episcopal Church, TRIAD, Unity Baptist Church and the Brown County YMCA.

The Northern Brown County Food Alliance, convened by Donna Niednagel and hosted by St. David’s Episcopal Church, has been meeting each week via Zoom to maintain momentum and keep the needs of Brown County neighbors on the forefront. Inspired by the little pantry provided by the Nashville United Methodist Church, St. David’s Episcopal Church recently opened a Little Pantry. Church members and other community volunteers have been assembling donations and keeping the Little Pantry stocked.

We welcome more hearts and hands to help. Whether it is helping pack the Weekend Backpacks, delivering the totes to the schools, assembling or distributing food at a pop-up, driving a truck to Bloomington or Indianapolis, cooking and distributing food at Mother’s Cupboard, or serving as a proxy to bring food to a shut-in household or collecting food at your place of work, these are just some ways to provide aid.

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If you’d like to thank someone for something they did, or reflect on something that makes you proud or happy or gives you peace during this time, please email a Bright Spot to [email protected].

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