TRIAD volunteers celebrate first half of the year
The Brown County TRIAD chapter is up to 17 volunteers, with two in training. They are seeking more interested volunteers for the second half of the year.
In the first half of 2020, TRIAD volunteers worked 887 hours and drove 5,584 miles.
From January through June, TRIAD volunteers visited 139 residences including 11 visits to TRIAD residents in Brown County Health and Living Community. However, personal visits have stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In order to continue volunteering despite the pandemic, TRIAD volunteers opted to send birthday cards to TRIAD clients and thank-you cards to volunteers and local businesses. The group is currently making daily phone calls to TRIAD clients until in-person visits can resume.
TRIAD volunteers have collected food from Midwest Food Bank and have worked closely with Brown County COAD and the YMCA to deliver meals and groceries from Mother’s Cupboard and St. Vincent de Paul to Brown County residents in need. Additionally, food provided by Midwest Food Bank and transportation from Big Woods/Hard Truth Hills allowed TRIAD to plan and co-host three pop-up food pantries throughout the first half of 2020.
The TRIAD’s annual picnic for 2020, usually scheduled for August, has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, TRIAD is also working on a TRIAD cookbook and will resume production on it once volunteers can return to their office.
Food finding program open online to Hoosiers
State Rep. Chris May (R-Bedford) encourages Hoosiers who may be struggling to make ends meet and needing food assistance to turn to the state’s recently launched Operation Food program for help.
Indiana’s community kitchens, pantries and food banks saw a 154 percent increase in visits since the onset of COVID-19, according to the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration.
“There’s been a spike in the number of residents needing food during this difficult time,” May said. “We have tremendous programs locally and throughout Indiana addressing this need, and Operation Food is an easy tool to find locations closest to home.”
Indiana’s food distribution network is made up of 12 food banks, and nearly 1,750 pantries and community kitchens. To help pool resources and meet the need, May said FSSA’s Operation Food connects the network to hunger relief organizations, like Indy Hunger Network and Feeding Indiana’s Hungry, along with the Indiana State Health Department and the Department of Homeland Security.
Hoosiers can visit in.gov/fssa and click on “Food Assistance Availability Map” to find help nearby. The map includes pantries, meal sites with packed food ready to take home and eat, and school sites feeding students throughout the summer. Information is also provided on how to make a donation to local food banks as Indiana continues to recover from the health crisis.
Hoosiers can also call 211 to connect to additional resources and programs, including help with housing, utilities and summer food service options for children.
