Forward Indiana Installs 24/7 Food Pantry In Leesburg
Text and Photos by David Hazledine
InkFreeNews
LEESBURG — Leesburg became the first town in Kosciusko County to install a Forward Indiana self-service food pantry on Sunday, Feb. 21.
The pantry is hosted and sponsored by Theresa Taylor, owner of Trump Realty, 103 W. Van Buren St., and was almost immediately filled with donations.
The pantry was unveiled Sunday.
“This is the most people we’ve ever had for an installation,” exclaimed Sarah Thompson, a 2006 Wawasee High School graduate and artist who started the non-profit Forward Indiana with Carlos Marcano in the Fort Wayne area in 2020.
Taylor and Thompson have known each other for over 20 years, having previously been neighbors in North Webster. When Taylor heard what Forward Indiana was doing she said, “We need one in our community.”
The issue of food instability, said Taylor, is “near and dear to my heart.” Her mother, aged 72, continues to run a large food pantry in Buchanan County, Va.
The pantries run on the motto, “Take what you need, leave what you can.” This concept of mutual aid is central to Forward Indiana’s mission, Thompson explained, as it differs from “charity” by accenting the idea “I’m in the same boat as you … it’s more user-friendly,” she added. The COVID-friendly distribution eliminates middlemen and close-quarters indoors. The method also encourages some who may desire anonymity.
One in four children in Indiana has experienced hunger, according to Thompson. And with the COVID-19 pandemic hurting employment, she has seen people experience food instability for the first time in their lives. “There are a lot of people who fall through the cracks.”
There can be gaps in employment or government assistance during which anyone may access these self-help pantries, which have no requirements. “We believe everybody should have access to food and kindness,” reads each pantry’s information sheet.
Along with perishable food products, the pantries may also be stocked with personal hygiene products and diapers. Thanks in part to responsible hosts and regular check-ups on Youtube, Thompson said there have not yet been any problems with frozen or burst containers. Anyone noticing any issues is encouraged to send an email to [email protected].
The artwork adorning each pantry is also important to Thompson, who painted the Leesburg pantry along with four others in the Fort Wayne area. Art, she explained, “adds respect and intention to the space … it’s an exercise of trust.”
Thompson said she has 13 more pantries to install, and she has received a positive response from other small business owners like Taylor. “They have an understanding of what we’re trying to do.”
The cost to sponsor a pantry is $300, but anyone may host one at no charge if they find a location.
Along with Leesburg residents, Thompson’s family members were on hand to help fill the pantry, including her mother Kelly Thompson, who ran unsuccessfully to represent District 22 in the state legislature in 2020.
“I love the idea … It helps people who need the help,” she said. The pantries also “give the community the opportunity to give,” she added. “They should be everywhere.”
Sarah sees the potential for installing similar pantries “all over the state.”
To donate, host or sponsor a pantry, or for more information, visit Forward Indiana on Facebook or send an email to [email protected]