WARSAW — The Kosciusko County Community Foundation has awarded the Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry’s “Meat” the Need program a grant award of $1,500. These funds will be used to assist Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry in paying processing fees for approximately 1,150 pounds of donated large game and livestock in Kosciusko County, which will then be distributed to area hunger relief agencies – providing over 4,600 meals to residents in need. 

Approximately 1 out of every 4 households within Indiana (that have children) report an inability to be able to afford enough food to feed their family and over 30 percent of Hoosiers regularly have to choose between paying bills or buying food. Those affected by food insecurity are often at high-risk for obesity and diet-related diseases due to the lack of quality in the foods that they can afford. Protein, one of the most important nutrients for brain and body development in children and young adults, is also the hardest commodity for food banks to obtain.

Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry encourages the donation of large game and livestock to the “Meat” the Need program. Hunters and farmers may donate, at no cost to them, by taking large game or livestock to a participating meat processor in their area.  The butcher will process, package and freeze the meat. Local hunger relief agencies will be contacted for pick up and distribution of this nutritious protein back into the community in which it was donated, where funding is available.  Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry raises financial support to pay the bills for processing. To date, the organization has 90 participating meat processors working within 85 counties in Indiana. They will be partnering with Bales Butcher Shop, Five Oaks LLC, Food Bank of Northern Indiana and numerous other hunger relief agencies to ensure that Kosciusko County residents in need, have access to this nutritious food staple.

Through this effort, Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry is able to provide nutritious meat to hunger relief agencies within Indiana building stronger, healthier communities by helping to meet the basic needs within each community, getting them back on track to hunger-free, independent living. They aim to improve the general health of individuals/families in need by helping to provide them with this nutritious source of protein for a healthier, more balanced diet –getting them back on track to hunger-free, independent living.  In the last six years, Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry has helped to distribute almost 757,000 pounds of meat to Indiana food banks, providing over 3 million meals to Hoosiers in need.