We believe that food equity is essential for true equity and justice in our societies. Access to healthy, affordable food should be available to everyone. We recognize that currently, this isn't the case. We are here to uplift those in our communities who fight for better food access, and who provide resources for those in need. Here are some people and organizations who are working in this area in central and southern Indiana.
Back to our main Food Equity and Justice page
Jump to: Second Helpings, Urban Seeds, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard (The Hub)
I am Emily Martin, Marketing and Communications Manager. I've worked at Second Helpings since April, which has been a whirlwind, but so inspiring to work with and learn from so many passionate leaders to feed Indy.
Please introduce your work/organization
Since 1998, Second Helpings has accepted donated perishable and overstocked food to prepare nutritious meals for thousands of hungry children and adults every day, and distributes them free of charge through local social service agencies in central Indiana. Second Helpings also trains unemployed and underemployed adults for meaningful careers in the culinary industry.
What is your organization’s mission?
Second Helpings' mission is to transform lives through the power of food. Second Helpings is a community kitchen that prepares and delivers more than 1 million meals to the central Indiana community each year. We’re not just teaching people to cook. We’re providing an avenue for people to transform their own lives. We don’t just collect food. We rescue food, because we refuse to stand by and allow waste, while so many in our community do not have the healthy food they need to thrive.
How can people access your services?
Second Helpings doesn't serve meals directly to individuals, but provides them to more than 100 partner agencies across six counties in central Indiana. People in need of food can use the Indy Hunger Network's Community Compass app (or call Indiana 211) to find food resources near them.
How can folks support your work?
Youcan find ways to get involved at secondhelpings.org, like donating, hosting a food drive, or volunteering.
Give a shout out to any organization or person whose work you’d like to lift up.
Second Helpings wouldn't be able to meet the growing need for food caused by the COVID-19 pandemic without our new satellite kitchen partnerships (Cunningham Restaurant Group, Sahm's, and Side Street Catering) and the home delivery partnership with Gleaners, Indy Hunger Network, and nine13sports.
Links: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and our website secondhelpings.org
Director: Robin Mallery
Please introduce your work/organization
Urban Seeds is a nonprofit organization that advocates for food justice.
What is your organization’s mission?
Urban Seeds advocates for a quality, equitable, and robust food system, increasing access to healthy, nourishing food for all.
How can people access your services?
Either through a partner organization that provides aligned services to our community or through direct outreach.
How can folks support your work?
Donations, volunteer, advocate, tell our story
Give a shout out to any organization or person whose work you’d like to lift up.
Healthy Communities Partnership
Link: urbanseeds.org
Mother Hubbard's Cupboard (The Hub) (Bloomington)
President & Chief Executive Officer: Amanda Nickey
Please introduce your work/organization
Mother Hubbard's Cupboard (The Hub) is a community food resource center working to increase access to healthy food through a patron choice food pantry, nutrition and gardening education, tool share, and advocacy. We believe that access to food is a basic human right and at the Hub, community members can find groceries in our food pantry, a space for shared learning in the garden and kitchen, resources to help grow and prepare food at home, and opportunities to build community and address the root causes of hunger. Our patron Farm Stand offers an opportunity for patrons to sell home grown produce, eggs, and handcrafted items. While much of our food comes from the regional food bank, we have in recent years shifted resources to direct purchases from local farmers, a model we hope to expand in the coming year.
What is your organization’s mission?
Mother Hubbard's Cupboard works to increase access to healthy food in ways that cultivate dignity, self-sufficiency, and community.
How can people access your services?
Our programs are available to anyone interested and/or in need of food assistance at 1100 West Allen Street in Bloomington. We operate on the honor system, meaning patrons do not need to provide any identification or financial information. During the pandemic many of our programs have been scaled back, but we are still distributing food, through a drive through limited contact model, and tools through our tool share program are available for check out. Our education programs and other resources like plants and seeds have been available as possible throughout the year, either in person or virtually. We continue to do advocacy, with our most recent focus a strong voter registration effort.
How can folks support your work?
Financial donations are essential as we continue to navigate the uncertainty of Covid-19. Our programs are typically supported by hundreds of volunteers, a system that is unsafe and impossible at the moment. As we try to maintain our most basic programs in the safest way possible, we've directed the majority of staff time to running these programs. We've also hired additional staff and anticipate we will need them well into the new year. Donations of fresh produce are also welcome.
Give a shout out to any organization or person whose work you’d like to lift up.
Locally, we appreciate the work of the People's Market, providing an inclusive, safe alternative to the city sponsored Farmer's Market. Nationally we are members of Closing the Hunger Gap, a network of organizations, grassroots groups, and individuals working to go beyond food distribution and address the root causes of hunger and poverty. Internationally we work with the Global Solidarity Alliance for Food, Health, and Social Justice around the Right to Food.
Links: COVID-19 And the Right to Food, mhcfoodpantry.org, Facebook, and Instagram