By SHIRLEY BOARDMAN, for The Democrat
Ever since the pandemic brought challenges to life continuing as usual, the Bean Blossom Farmers Market and St. David’s Episcopal Church have been looking for ways to continue to reach out to their northern Brown County neighbors.
This area has been considered a food desert for its lack of access to affordable and nutritious food. Not being able to continue with the farmers market at St. David’s this year was especially wrenching.
On July 16, 2020, weeks of planning brought dozens of volunteers, community agencies and hearts and hands together to provide a “pop-up” food distribution at Fruitdale Volunteer Fire Department from 5 to 7 p.m.
As 4 o’clock approached, volunteers realized that cars were already lined up on 135 North, and with concern for traffic safety, early distribution started. In the next fast-moving hours, a total of 85 households representing 180 adults and 76 children received 3,500 pounds of food coordinated through St. Vincent de Paul, 95 hot meals prepared by Mother’s Cupboard, and a packet of information about resources, as well as a pervasive spirit of neighbors helping neighbors.
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]As the coordinating committee, chaired by Donna Niednagel, debriefed the event in a Zoom meeting on July 21 there were so many to thank and, yet, so much to learn going forward.
Special thanks went to Sherry Houze, Mother’s Cupboard; Jan and Jim Drum who coordinated the preparation of hot meals; Jonathan Bolte, food coordinator at St. Vincent de Paul, who procured and packaged food from Hoosier Hills Food Bank and Midwest Food Bank; Sandy Higgins, trustee for Jackson Township, who spent hours on the phone calling her Brown County neighbors to alert them to the distribution; and Kim Robinson, Brown County COAD, who arranged for the Access Brown County bus to transport some of the food and also mobilized volunteers and resources for the packing and distribution of the food.
Day camp children at the Brown County Y helped by packaging the drinks into individual bags.
Recognizing that hot weather and keeping food safe was going to be a challenge, the Indianapolis St. Vincent de Paul leadership provided a refrigerated truck, driven by Larry Heil. Heil picked up food pallets of dairy and fresh produce at Midwest Food Bank in Indianapolis, drove the truck to Brown County, and then with Bolte’s coordination, picked up food that had been staged at the Brown County schools and St. Vincent de Paul pantry, and then continued to work with the volunteers to ensure the safe distribution of the food.
Sharon Kitchens and volunteers obtained bags and collected materials to help families know about critical resources.
Cori McCabe helped with publicity and electronic outreach.
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Pastor Mary Bargiel and her church community stepped up to mobilize volunteers.
And of course, without the generous support of Kevin Sebastian, Fruitdale Volunteer Fire Department, with his knowledge of logistics and traffic flow, the event could not have handled so many in such a short time.
Niednagel observed, “We have learned so much and, yet, there is so much more we can do.” Ideas included how to reach more of our neighbors through the northern Brown County churches, bring more awareness about proxies who could pick up food for their neighbors both at St. Vincent de Paul and Mother’s Cupboard, the use of the Access van to bring food periodically to the northern Brown County, and continuing to connect with the dozens of hands and hearts that came together to make this happen.
Anne Hawk observed that she hoped, too, this could be a model for reaching more of southern Brown County and Van Buren Township.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Get involved” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Do you want to help respond to food insecurity in our county or know someone in need? Contact Kim Robinson at Brown County COAD at 812-988-0001 or the Northern Brown County Food Alliance at 812-720-0454 or [email protected]
Volunteers are always needed at Mother’s Cupboard (812-988-8038) and at St. Vincent de Paul (812-988-8821).
Emergency response donations for Brown County are being coordinated through the Brown County Community Foundation. Online donations are accepted at browncountygives.org/bcgives/bccf-covid-19-response or may be sent to P.O. Box 191, Nashville, IN 47448.
The Northern Brown County Food Alliance may also receive donations directly through St. David’s Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 1798, Nashville, IN 47448. Note NBCFA (Northern Brown County Food Alliance) in the memo line.
Are you a northern Brown County neighbor who could help? The NBCFA welcomes hearing from you and, especially, if you are a member of one of the northern Brown County church communities who could help mobilize outreach to your Brown County neighbors.
[sc:pullout-text-end]
