Indy Hunger Network

THE INDY HUNGER NETWORK IS A COALITION OF REPRESENTATIVES FROM LEADING ANTI-HUNGER ORGANIZATIONS, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, IN INDIANAPOLIS. THE MISSION OF IHN IS TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM THAT ENSURES ANYONE WHO IS HUNGRY IN THE GREATER INDIANAPOLIS AREA CAN ACCESS THE FOOD THEY NEED. THE INDY HUNGER NETWORK (IHN) WAS ESTABLISHED IN MARCH 2009 AND WAS INCORPORATED IN FEBRUARY 2012. PARTNERS INCLUDE CICOA AGING & IN-HOME SOLUTIONS, CONNECT2HELP, DOW AGROSCIENCES, ELANCO, GLEANERS FOOD BANK OF INDIANA, MEALS ON WHEELS, MIDWEST FOOD BANK, SECOND HELPINGS, AND ST. VINCENT DE PAUL. THE FOOD ASSISTANCE SYSTEM THAT FEEDS THE HUNGRY IS LARGE AND COMPLEX. THE MEMBERS OF THE INDY HUNGER NETWORK HAVE DEMONSTRATED THROUGH THEIR INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS AND BY WORKING TOGETHER THAT WE CAN MAKE THE SYSTEM MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE. IHN MEMBERS HAVE COLLECTIVELY INCREASED THE NUMBER OF MEALS PROVIDED TO PEOPLE FACING FOOD INSECURITY TO FACE THE GROWING DEMAND FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE. KEY FUNCTIONS OF THE INDY HUNGER NETWORK INCLUDE: - FOSTER COLLABORATION AND BUILD ON THE STRENGTHS AND CAPABILITIES OF EXISTING FOOD-PROVIDING COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, ENCOURAGING PUBLIC SUPPORT OF THEM - RESEARCH TO IDENTIFY STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK BETTER FOR HUNGRY PEOPLE - ESTABLISH PROJECTS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS, UTILIZING COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS - SERVE AS ADVOCATES WHERE NEEDED AND APPROPRIATE KEY ACTIVITIES CURRENTLY ON-GOING IN INDIANAPOLIS INCLUDE: SUMMER SERVINGS ? THE INDY HUNGER NETWORK SUPPORTS THE FEDERAL SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM VIA AN AWARENESS CAMPAIGN THROUGHOUT MARION COUNTY. IHN BRANDED THE PROGRAM ?SUMMER SERVINGS? IN 2011. EACH YEAR, IHN HAS USED GRANT FUNDS TO PRODUCE MARKETING MATERIALS FOR THE SPONSORS AND SERVING SITES, AND WE CONVENE AN ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ALL THE MEAL-SITE SPONSORS TO DISCUSS WAYS TO IMPROVE PARTICIPATION AND SHARE BEST PRACTICES. FRESH BUCKS ? FRESH BUCKS PROVIDES UP TO A $20 MATCH ON PURCHASES OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES USING SNAP DOLLARS AT AREA FARMERS? MARKETS. THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS SNAP RECIPIENTS TO PURCHASE MORE HEALTHY LOCAL PRODUCE BY DOUBLING THEIR SNAP DOLLARS. FRESH BUCKS IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT 12 MARKETS, AND WE ARE EXPANDING THE PROGRAM INTO POGUE?S RUN GROCER, A CO-OP MARKET, AND A KROGER STORE. COOKING AND NUTRITION EDUCATION ? IHN IS PROVIDING COOKING AND NUTRITION EDUCATION CLASSES, USING THE COOKING MATTERS CURRICULUM CREATED BY SHARE OUR STRENGTH. WE A SUCCESSFUL PILOT PROGRAM AT FIVE SITES THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND FOUND THAT CLASS PARTICIPANTS REPORTED INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF MEALS THEY COOKED EACH WEEK, THE NUMBER OF SERVINGS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THEY ATE, AND THEIR ABILITY TO STRETCH THEIR FUNDS IN PURCHASING HEALTHY FOODS AFTER PARTICIPATING IN THE CLASS. WE WILL BE TEACHING ADDITIONAL CLASSES IN EARLY 2017, AND WE ARE WORKING ON SECURING FUNDING TO SCALE UP THE PROGRAM TO MORE SITES. RESEARCH TO GUIDE EFFECTIVENESS ? IN 2014, IHN WORKED WITH PARTNERS TO DEVELOP A TELEPHONE SURVEY METHODOLOGY TO DIRECTLY MEASURE HOW MUCH UNMET NEED FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE REMAINS IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS PEOPLE USE, AND BARRIERS TO THEIR PARTICIPATION IN KEY PROGRAMS. EXTENSIVE BENCHMARKING REVEALED THAT SUCH A METRIC HAD NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED BY ANYONE AROUND THE COUNTRY. THE STUDY BEGAN IN 2014, AND RESULTS ARE BEING USED TO STEER IHN?S WORK. WE ARE WORKING ON PLANS FOR CONDUCTING THE SURVEY AGAIN IN EARLY 2017. WE ARE ALSO STARTING WORK ON A MARKET RESEARCH SURVEY FOR SNAP TO DETERMINE WHY MORE ELIGIBLE PEOPLE ARE NOT ENROLLED IN SNAP. WIC MARKETING ? IN 2015, WE CONDUCTED A MARKET RESEARCH STUDY OF WOMEN ELIGIBLE FOR WIC AND FOUND THAT WHILE PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF WIC WERE STRONGLY POSITIVE, ABOUT HALF OF THE PEOPLE ELIGIBLE FOR WIC THAT WERE NOT ENROLLED FIRMLY BELIEVED THEY WERE NOT ELIGIBLE. WE ARE WORKING WITH THE STATE AND MARION COUNTY WIC OFFICES ON STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE MARKETING FOR WIC AND ENABLE MORE ELIGIBLE PE