By Aaron Dorman The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana has had a record year for food distribution; the organization is also bracing for longer lines and increased demand. Just in time for the holiday season, roughly 600,000 Indiana residents are set to see their SNAP benefits halt on Nov. 1 due to the ongoing government […]

By Alexandra Kukulka Hammond resident Leah Allen has been receiving $115 a month in SNAP benefits for a little over a year. “It’s not much, but it does help out,” Allen said, adding that she uses SNAP benefits for her groceries, particularly for fresh vegetables. Allen, 69, said she receives Social Security payments, but that covers […]

MERRILLVILLE, IN. – The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, a proud member of the Feeding America network, has been awarded a grant to receive a brand-new refrigerated truck that will boost its ability to deliver fresh, nutritious food across the region. “Through this grant in partnership with the Darden Restaurants Foundation and Penske Truck Leasing, […]

CHICAGO (WLS) — September is Hunger Action Month. According to the newly released Greater Chicagoland Hunger Report, 25% of people in the Chicago area are facing food insecurity. And 36% of households cannot afford the basic cost of living in their county. The Greater Chicago Food Depository, the Northern Illinois Food Bank and the Food Bank […]

Access to adequate food is a hallmark of a healthy community. Yet in the Greater Chicagoland area, far too many of our neighbors are struggling to put food on the table. One in four people are facing food insecurity, and more than a third of households (1.4 million households) cannot afford the basic cost of […]

Written by Janie Bohlmann, regional communications manager for American Red Cross of Indiana. Through our Community Adaptation Program (CAP), the Red Cross is working to build more resilient communities and empower those living in disaster-prone areas. Our CAP team in Lake County, Indiana, is focused on increasing access to health, hunger and housing solutions and […]

By Aaron Dorman Decisions about budget cuts or freezes made in Washington continue to reverberate and impact Northwest Indiana, food assistance and agriculture organizations say. In particular, two recent decisions undercut local efforts to feed residents, they say: the ending of the Regional Food Business Center Program and the pausing of the Senior Community Service […]

By Aaron Dorman MERILLVILLE — It may not be the Goodyear Blimp, but as far as branded vehicles go, the NWI Food Bank Truck is still a welcome sight moving around the south shore. The latest addition to the Food Bank’s vehicle fleet is a refrigerated truck branded with the company’s logo and new signage […]

By Aaron Dorman MERRILLVILLE — Food bank volunteer Karen Ruse spends her Saturday mornings loading cars with food delivery boxes outside the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana off Broadway. In order to serve the hundreds of people who come in their cars each Saturday, the interactions are often quick. Volunteers don’t necessarily get to know […]

By Aaron Dorman The link between proper nutrition and better health outcomes is well established. But much of that work, including programs within the Region, focuses on acute physical conditions such as diabetes. The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana is hoping a recent pilot program can demonstrate that they can also help address residents’ mental […]