Feeding Team: aid for anyone, no questions asked

By AIDA KARIM
news@readthereporter.com

Not even affluent communities are immune to food insecurity.

The Reporter spoke with Lisa Hall, co-founder of the Feeding Team, about the organization’s mission and impact in the community.

According to Hall, she and her husband Mark were struggling to feed their two daughters during the mid ‘80s. The idea to start the Feeding Team came from their own struggle.

During the years following the organization’s founding, they helped with Shepherd Community Center near inner-city Indianapolis.

Starting in 2019, the Halls brought the Feeding Team to Hamilton County; soon after, they began utilizing outdoor pantries.

Initially Hall thought, “We were going to stop at six [outdoor pantries]. We now have 80 with our 81st going out.”

According to Hall, the pantries have expanded far beyond Hamilton County, with a branch in Alabama and plans to place multiple in Lafayette, Ind.

Hall said Gaylor Electric is a big partner and had been from day one, helping deploy the pantries.

Hall told The Reporter they have now partnered with Gleaners for two major mobile drive-throughs every month.

“Once a week, we are giving out at least one week or two weeks’ worth of food to people on top of what we provide through the pantries,” Hall said. “So, we’re doing about 22,000 to 25,000 meals a month.”

Hall said the Feeding Team sources its inventory from purchases, from Gleaners’ donations, and from what individual community members donate directly to their pantries.

The top of each pantry reads, “Take what you need, give what you can.”

Hall said they encourage community members to always take food if they need it, while simultaneously allowing them to donate whatever possible.

Hall said they once had a couple who were out of work, and they were coming and getting food at the outdoor pantries.

“Then they said, ‘Hey, why can’t we get our food and then come back and help?’ So they were doing both,” Hall said. “And now they just help because he got a new job and they don’t need that assistance now, but they still help. So that’s kind of cool. We’ve had a few people do that.”

Hall said they’ve unfortunately had some people who try to game the system and return donations to grocery stores for cash. Now they ask individual donors to mark through UPC codes on items they drop off.

Hall told The Reporter the thing that separates the Feeding Team from other pantries is the fact they are “open 24/7, no questions asked.”

Hall said many other pantries require legal identification and verification of income, with many individuals only being allotted a certain amount of food per month.

According to Hall, the Feeding Team “does not ask questions. If you say you’re hungry, you get food.”

Hall said they’re always looking for pantry hosts and volunteers in order to continue providing relief for the community.

Hall encourages those curious about opportunities to reach out to her email, lisa@feedingteam.org, or by phone at (317) 832-1123.

You can find locations of pantries and more information about support at feedingteam.org.