(Front row, from left) Lynda Carlino, Fishers Youth Assistance (FYA); Fred Knoll, White River Christian Church, Noblesville; Brandy Egan, Noblesville Youth Assistance (NYA); and Brian Durm, NYA. (Back row, from left) Lisa Samuels, Sheridan Youth Assistance; Ashlan Cavender, NYA; Trisha Straus, FYA; Dee Chandler, FYA; Vicki Gustin, Aroma Methodist Open Arms Pantry; Collen Scheu, Carmel Youth Assistance; Susan McRoberts, Merciful Help Center, Carmel; Deborah Foley, St. Christopher’s Episcopal, Carmel; Jim Hodson, Angels Attic, Arcadia; Sherry Hodson, Angels Attic; and Mary Lou Finchum, Sheridan Lunch Club. (Photo provided)
Come help Pack the Cruisers with food for Summer Lunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 2. All Hamilton County Kroger stores, police departments, and the Sheriff’s Office are partnering with countywide Summer Lunch programs that will provide 75,000 meals to over more than 1,400 children for the 10 weeks of summer vacation.
When school’s out, some kids go hungry. Summer Lunch coordinators all across Hamilton County will be providing food for children at a variety of programs that vary from hot served meals to healthy meal packs to extra food pantry privileges to packed lunches. These programs are designed to serve those children most in need throughout the county who would typically receive free or reduced lunches throughout the school year. Summer Lunch programs in Hamilton County are dependent on local communities for support as most local communities do not meet federal or statewide Summer Lunch funding criteria. These primarily volunteer-led lunch programs have stepped in to fill the need.
The Pack the Cruiser Food Drive was piloted in 2017 in Fishers to help jumpstart food contributions. Last year Fishers filled 11 cruisers from three stores. This year, nine Kroger stores will be matched with five Hamilton County city police departments and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office to help the Summer Lunch programs in each of the county’s six public school communities.
Police officers and sheriff’s deputies will be at the stores on June 2 with lists of the specific items that each of the programs need. Kroger Gift cards are very welcome as this enables programs to purchase healthy fruits and vegetables and protein throughout the summer. Please help by donating the items from the list and Packing the Cruisers.
Hamilton County Harvest Food Bank works closely with the Summer Lunch programs year round and is proud to be a partner of Pack the Cruiser 2018. This is the sixth year of monetary and food support for the Summer Lunch programs of Hamilton County. For more information, please see HCHFoodBank.org or contact Anita Hagen at hamiltoncountyharvest@gmail.com.