The Indianapolis Area Food Banks Need Your Help!

I ran across this article a few minutes ago and felt it was worth passing along. I know this is a trying time for many...please help if you can.

Helping the hungry
Midwest Food Bank says donations,volunteers low
Last Edited: Tuesday, 02 Dec 2008, 6:39 AM ESTCreated On: Tuesday, 02 Dec 2008, 6:08 AM EST
Phil Sanchez
Edited by Heather Chastain
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The slipping economy is taking a toll on various industries and businesses, including local food banks. Most are reporting big drop offs in donations lately.
Managers at the Midwest Food Bank say the drop off in donations couldn't have come at a worse time, a time when demand is great but resources are low.
The Midwest Food Bank is not by any means the typical food bank. Instead of serving people individually they supply different agencies, hundreds of other food banks with needs greater than ever before.
"There's a great increase of need in the community and the need has changed. It used to be the homeless and now it's your neighbor and so the face of the hungry has really changed in America and especially in central Indiana," said John Whitaker, Midwest Food Bank.
He says not only have donations been down, but so have the number of volunteers.
"Many months we'll have more food but not enough volunteers," said Whitaker.
However, he said things are starting to pick up especially since Mayor Ballard last month announced a food bank initiative to help.
"We've had about 6 or 7 organizations that have stepped up not just with food donations, but also with volunteering," said Whitaker.
However, the effort is still nowhere near enough. In the back of the pantry is a room designed to help those effected by disasters. These days the room gets used more and more.
"What we have now in America is people have lost their jobs or have been downsized and they have personal disasters now," said Whitaker.
Click one of the following links for more information on either the Mayor's initiative or how you can help The Midwest Food Bank .