Food insecurity and the Supermarket Sweep

Friday, May 3, 2019
Nine pallets and seven grocery carts hold the donated items the Supermarket Sweep was able to bring in at Kroger on April 22. Many of the food pantry volunteers pose alongside Purdue Extension and Hartman Center workers after the final tally.
Courtesy photo

Did you know that food insecurity is a concern for Putnam County residents?

In Putnam County alone, statistics show that almost 4,500 people experience food insecurity. More than 1,200 children may be unsure of their next meal, and 45 percent of those who are food-insecure do not qualify for nutrition programs like SNAP and WIC.

That is why the Hartman Center at DePauw University, Purdue Extension Putnam County, Kroger, Putnam County 4-H Junior Leaders and the Indiana 4-H Foundation partnered together to host the Supermarket Sweep on April 22 to help stock our local food pantries for the summer.

The Putnam County Food Pantry Coalition came together and made a grocery list of the most requested items in their pantries. The most requested items include spaghetti/pasta, peanut butter, pasta sauce, canned meats, cereal/oatmeal, canned vegetables and beans, cleaning solutions, trash bags, feminine hygiene items, diapers and razors. The lists were provided to shoppers from the community, Putnam County 4-H clubs and DePauw student organizations.

The 4-H clubs and DePauw organizations were given challenges and competed to earn gift cards donated from the Hartman Center, the Indiana 4-H Foundation and Putnam County 4-H Junior Leaders to aid in extra fundraising. More than $1,800 was raised by the Putnam County 4-H clubs and more than $3,500 from the DePauw student organizations. Approximately $1,500 was also donated by shoppers from the community during the day. An overall total of nearly $7,000 was raised and used to purchase food.

Have you ever considered donating food or non-food items? Your efforts could greatly affect the livelihood of those who experience food insecurity in our community.

The local food pantries participating include: Greencastle Christian Church, DePauw Pantry, 2 Fish Food Pantry, Russellville Community Church, New Life Baptist Church, Little Free Pantry and the Non-Food Pantry at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. These pantries would greatly appreciate any donations. For information about their hours, locations and contact information, persons may call the Purdue Extension Putnam County office at 653-8411.

Visit www.extension.purdue.edu/putnam or contact the local Purdue Extension Office for more information regarding this week’s column topic or to RSVP for upcoming events. It is always best to call first to assure items are ready when you arrive and to RSVP for programs. While many publications are free, some do have a fee.

Upcoming events:

May 11 - Master Gardener plant auction, Putnam County Fairgrounds, starting at 10 a.m.

May 11 – Sheep/Goat 4-H tagging and retinal scan, Fairgrounds, 8-10 a.m.

May 16 – On Local Government webinar, Extension Office, 10-11 a.m.

May 23 – Gardener Gatherings – Gardening for Pollinators, Extension Office, 6:30 p.m. Register at https://bit.ly/2GbFTet.

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