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About Food Bank of Northern Indiana

General Information

The Food Bank of Northern Indiana is a certified member of Feeding America, a national network of over 200 food banks. Feeding America is the largest domestic hunger-relief charity in the United States. Feeding America secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of food and grocery products to over 63,000 charitable feeding agencies, including soup kitchens, pantries and shelters. Those agencies in turn feed an estimated 35 million Americans , including 12 million children, with food insecurity issues each year.

Our mission is to work in partnership with the community to feed the hungry, to increase awareness of the effects of hunger and to lead programs designed to alleviate hunger. Working together, we seek to maximize existing resources so that no one from the homeless to the home bound goes to bed hungry at night.

In 1993, the Food Bank was founded under the name of the North Central Indiana Food Bank. That year we distributed a modest 6,800 pounds of food to 29 social service agencies. Since our inception we have distributed over 50 million pounds of food, reaching nearly 4 million pounds in 2009.

The Food Bank of Northern Indiana also operates a direct service emergency Pantry, assisting over 2,000 families a month. The St. Joseph County Community Food Pantry provides 100% client choice, allowing individuals the opportunity to shop for the items they need.

History

It was in May 1993 when the Hunger Education Task Force of the United Religious Community of St. Joseph County accepted the challenge of reestablishing food banking services in North Central Indiana. In July of 1993, an organizing meeting brought together the first volunteer Board of Directors. The Board then agreed that the North Central Indiana Food Bank would be the entity of record created to address local problems of hunger and malnutrition by providing quality food to participating social service agencies.

We began operations as an SDO (Subsidiary Distribution Organization) of Gleaners Food Bank of Indianapolis. As our member agencies and donor base grew, we became self sufficient and large enough to be considered for national certification. In February of 1996, we became a Certified Food Bank of the Second Harvest National Food Bank network. As a member of Second Harvest, we received offerings of donated product, which was allocated based on the poverty population within our six county service area.

Our first distribution of 6,800 pounds was made from Hanson’s Cold Storage in December of 1993 with 29 participating agencies. In July of 2000, we purchased our current location on Chapin St. in South Bend, an 82,000-square-foot facility, to ensure adequate storage to meet the rising demand for food in Northern Indiana.

Much of our success is due to the support received from the United Religious Community of St. Joseph County, the Elkhart County Community Foundation, REAL Services, Inc., the St. Joseph County Community Foundation, the United Way of Kosciusko County, the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, the Lilly Endowment, Share Our Strength, the Fields Foundation, the Muessel-Ellison Foundation, the Florence Carroll Foundation and the Unity Foundation of LaPorte County. Grants from Real Services, Inc., allowed the Food Bank to purchase a 22' straight truck, a new computer system, and various equipment items. Financial support has also been received from individuals and organizations in our community that share our concern for feeding the hungry. A large debt of gratitude is also due the caring individuals who have contributed thousands of hours as volunteers.

In 2006, the agency’s name was changed to the Food Bank of Northern Indiana now serving the six counties of: Elkhart, LaPorte, Kosciusko, Marshall, St. Joseph, and Starke. In 2008, America’s Second Harvest changed their name to Feeding America, representing what their member food banks do each and every day in every community in the United States.

In 2009 the Food Bank of Northern Indiana grew to over 225 member agencies, up from 139 in 2008. Also in 2009 we expanded our Retail Donation program and are receiving donations of hundreds of thousands of pounds of nutritious food product from our partners: Sam’s Club, Kroger’s, and Wal-Mart, reaching a total of nearly 4 million pounds distributed.

The Food Bank of Northern Indiana is also a network member of Feeding Indiana’s Hungry (FIsH), the association of nine food banks servicing the State of Indiana. These networked food banks assist in feeding the over 600,000 Hoosiers, including 190,000 children in the state of Indiana every day with food insecurity issues.

Who We Serve

The Food Bank of Northern Indiana serves over 200 agencies in the Northern Indiana counties of St. Joseph, Elkhart, Kosciusko, Marshall, Starke and LaPorte. The Food Bank distributes around 15,000 pounds of food each business day with nearly 4 million pounds of food distributed in 2009.

Board of Directors/Staff Directory

2010 Board of Directors

Chris Rowland, Board Chairman
The Healy Group, South Bend, IN

Curtis L. Bethel, Jr., Board Co-Chairman
1st Source Bank, South Bend, IN

Janice Thomasson, Secretary
St. Mary’s College, South Bend, IN

Michael J. Ryan, Treasurer
Mutual Bank, Mishawaka, IN

Steve Antonetti, Director
Wal-Mart Stores, Northern Indiana

Pam Batcho, Director
Express Employment Professionals, Mishawaka, IN

Karen Case, Director
South Bend Community School Corporation, South Bend, IN

Ken Lewton, Director
Anthony Travel, South Bend, IN

Lori K. Mazick, Director
Pinnacle Athletic Club, Mishawaka, IN

Mark Norris, Director
Granger, IN

John O’Brien, Director
WNDU-TV, South Bend, IN

Jim Pinkerton, Director
WSBT-TV, Mishawaka, IN

Shawn Wagner, Director
GRAINGER, South Bend, IN

Ed Zych, Director
Edward A. Zych Law Office, South Bend, IN

Staff Listing

Lisa Jaworski, MPA, Chief Executive Officer

Michael Hancock, Director of Operations
Jaime Cripe, Agency Relations Manager
Dave Melander, Resource Development Manager
Ralph Stephens, Warehouse Manager
Terri Swift, Accounting Manager
Richard Chapla, Reclamation Center Coordinator
Michelle Jefferies, Nutrition Programs Coordinator
Jon Williams, Event and Marketing Coordinator

Shelley Marker, Administrative Assistant
Sharon Kowalski, Program Support Assistant
Rebecca Turk, Operations Assistant
Beverly Waumans, Receptionist

Bob Wallin, Distribution Coordinator
Timo Fuentes, Warehouse Services
Bob Blair, Nick Dupuis, Damon Johnson, Bill Lamphier, Driver
Tammy Barker, Food Pantry Coordinator
Jerry Griffin, Maintenance
Robert Lottie, Warehouse Assistant
Steve Wallisch, Warehouse Assistant
Manuel Ponce, Warehouse Assistant
Betty Collins, Pantry Coordinator
Lois Posey, Pantry Coordinator Assistant
Hugh McDonald, Pantry Aide