Keeping the doors open of food pantries across the country has been a challenge ever since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the drastic rise in unemployment, more and more people are still in need of food aid. Just a few days ago, the shelves of the Old Bethel & Partners Food Pantry in Indianapolis were empty.

The pantry ended up reaching out to Midwest Food Bank for help with stocking their shelves. The answer was 600 family food boxes (Provided by the Salvation Army Indianapolis Division and Midwest Food Bank’s Lucas Oil Stadium packaging operation), fresh produce, and meat. By the end of today, all 600 food boxes were handed out to those in need within the Indianapolis east side community.

In addition, Old Bethel has been helped greatly by Indiana National Guard Soldiers throughout the duration of Indiana’s COVID-19 lockdown. Most of the pantry’s staff and volunteers were within the range of the ages considered to be at high risk of life threatening COVID-19 cases.

Ascension St. Vincent Hospital in Carmel was saluted with a flyover of A-10 Thunderbolt IIs as a part of the Indiana National Guard’s “Operation American Resolve,” to thank the health care workers of Indiana’s COVID-19 response. Pilots from the 122nd Fighter Wing, out of Fort Wayne, flew a flight path around central Indiana that started in Terre Haute and ended in Marion. Flyovers like this one are happening all across the country to recognize and honor those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of my neighbors and family friend, Sherry, celebrated her 50th birthday today with a surprise drive-by birthday party. Over 20 cars filled with friends passed by in a parade of honking horns, birthday wishes, and cheering. Celebrating a birthday or other life events during the COVID-19 pandemic isn’t easy, but drive-by celebrations have made the isolation of social distancing a little more bearable while still being safe.

On Friday April 17, Lucas Oil Stadium hosted several volunteer groups to assist Midwest Food Bank and The Salvation Army in their mission to pack 10,000 family food boxes for those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each food box was filled with items that would feed a family of four for 4-5 days. The sheer amount of space needed for this operation required a very large facility.

Lucas Oil Stadium was made available at no cost thanks to the Capitol Improvement Board of Marion County for the entirely of the month. During the first day of packing, 6,473 family food boxes were ready to be distributed. This amount was well past their targeted goal of 5,000 boxes per day. Midwest Food Bank has promised to keep packing these family food boxes as long as they have food to put in them.

Over 70 volunteers came together to make this all possible. Personnel from the Indiana National Guard, The Salvation Army Indiana Division, Civil Air Patrol Indiana Wing, Million Meal Movement, Lucas Oil Stadium staff members, and several individual volunteers are to thank for helping get 480,000 meals out to those in need.

On Saturday March 28, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry located on 30th St, in Indianapolis, was open to serve those in need. Distribution of food was moved outside due the COVID-19 pandemic, creating additional challenges. Staff members, volunteers, and Soldiers from the U.S. Army National Guard came together to operate a drive-thru food pantry from 8:00 a.m. to Noon. Cars lined up from the gates of the facility all the way down 30th Street and onto North Rural Street (see image #1). Midwest Food Bank assisted in providing food for the pantry.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul reported that 644 cars went through the drive-thru to receive boxes of food meant to feed a family for a week. A total of 813 boxes were distributed. Based on an average family size of 3.5 members, 2,845 individuals were aided by this drive-thru food pantry on Saturday. An additional 169 clients walked up to receive food items from the pantry.

Last year, on an average Saturday, this food pantry served around 500 families. On March 28 alone, there was a 63% increase in families served compared to last year’s average.

Leaders and members of ITOWN Church hosted a drive-thru food pantry outside of the JW Marriott Event Center on March 27 with a focus on aiding Indianapolis hospitality/service workers impacted by COVID-19 restrictions. When clients arrived, they received comforting prayers during these times of uncertainty and a care package with a variety of non-perishable foods.

ITOWN Church partnered with Midwest Food Bank to purchase prepackaged food boxes for this special distribution, there were 2,250 boxes… a full semi-truck load. ITOWN Church runs a rapid response program for those in need. This distribution was an additional effort for COVID-19 relief on top of their weekly distribution sites.

U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers from the 76th Infantry Brigade are currently tasked to help and provide logistical support for Indiana’s COVID-19 response. On March 27, their mission was to work alongside civilian volunteers in Midwest Food Bank’s Indianapolis warehouse.

All together they packed food onto several pallets meant to refresh the shelves of agencies and food pantries around central Indiana. In addition to the pallets, the Soldiers assisted in individually packaging fresh produce for distribution. Best Buy donated plastic bags to help.

On March 16, Governor Eric Holcomb signed an executive order to activate the Indiana Army National Guard to act as a supportive force for Indiana’s COVID-19 responses. These Soldiers being at Midwest Food Bank is an example of how this action has helped those in need. Right now, the Soldiers of the Indiana Army National Guard are supporting the state’s emergency operations center, the Indiana State Department of Health, and assisting state agencies in the field by helping distribute emergency supplies.

Indianapolis community members came together this week to support residents in need with pop-up food pantries as the COVID-19 pandemic impacts Hoosiers in downtown neighborhoods. Midwest Food Bank supplied fresh produce, juice, and milk for these pop-up pantries.

The food was mainly donated by restaurants and schools that have closed due Indiana’s COVID-19 restrictions. Clients were invited to drive through with their cars or to walk up to receive food. Barnes United Methodist Church, Hovey Street Church of Christ, and Friendship Missionary Baptist Church hosted the pop-up food pantries on three days this last week.

More pop-up food pantries are planned, but are currently tentatively scheduled due to the availability of food.

More food is needed this week than last week.

Food banks are seeing a reduction in the availability of excess food that is normally donated from food suppliers. Which means in the weeks ahead, as more people are requiring food support due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the food may not be there. Here in Indiana, the operations of Midwest Food Bank and the pantries it serves are being greatly affected by the panic buying we’ve seen over the past two weeks.

Before COVID-19, 1 in 7 Hoosiers were already food insecure. That’s over 910,000 people who at times have to go without food. (Source: Feeding America / Indy Hunger Network)