By MARK HALL
Feeding Team Feature
This month’s column is the story of a full circle of service.
We have been doing food charity service work for over 16 years in inner-city Indianapolis with Shepherd Community Center before launching Feeding Team a few years ago. From 1981 to 1986, I lived at 42nd and Kitley Avenue on the east side of Indianapolis. Yesterday, the team deployed pantries 41-44 on the far east side of Indianapolis within minutes of our old neighborhood. Welcome back to the East Side.
Working in conjunction with area churches, Hamilton County businesses, a motivated pastor, and volunteers, the first four pantries built by Eric Fisher and his students at Hamilton Heights High School were placed in service and loaded with hundreds of meals. We are grateful for all the people who make this happen. Helping students learn the importance of serving others is a big part of this project with Hamilton Heights High School.
To read more about the work by Heights students, click here to read this story published in February, and click here to read this story published in March.
Sober moment alert: We placed a pantry at Meadowlark Apartments Thursday afternoon and only hours later, nearby the pantry location, a man was critically shot in broad daylight in front of children playing. Hunger is real in Hamilton County, and the situation on the east side of Indianapolis is dire. Hunger and crime so often travel together.
This column brings the story full circle. Companies and neighbors donate funds, materials are purchased, students build pantries, Gaylor Electric or Gary Green transports, paints and delivers the pantries, and the Feeding Team sets and fills the pantries. Then the process repeats. Your donations provide thousands of meals to Hamilton County neighbors. Now a company’s donations will also feed hungry neighbors in Lawrence. Thank you for serving alongside us.
Without the dedicated efforts of so many volunteers, donors, and friends of Feeding Team this would not be happening all over Hamilton County every week.
With over 27,000 food-challenged neighbors in Hamilton County, FeedingTeam.org provides outdoor 24/7/365 no-questions-asked free food pantries throughout the county.
Neighbors ask, “Why do this? What’s in it for you?” The answer is always the same: Serving people feeds my soul. It is a calling, not work.
When criticized or questioned, I encourage people to learn my story before assuming anything. There were suppers when we as a young couple with young kids could only afford Dinty Moore beef stew and a potato for dinner. Surreal moment. This is why the pantries exist. As a typical young family, we could not always make ends meet.
Thank you for embracing the pantries. We love serving with so many neighbors across Hamilton County.
In future columns we will share more stories from neighbors about how your generosity served them in times of need. Be assured that the face of hunger in Hamilton County is not what you may think.
In practical terms, this straightforward way to help neighbors is having real impact on lives, families, and our communities. Thank you. A few meals can change the course of a person’s life. A can of green beans means so much more when you have nothing to feed your kids. Would you like to get involved? We are in the process of evaluating our next pantry locations. If you think you have a potential location, please contact us.
Mark and Lisa Hall are the Founders of Feeding Team. They may be reached at lisa@feedingteam.org and mark@feedingteam.org or by calling (317) 832-1104.