When visitors come to Midwest Food Bank for the first time they are often surprised by the size of our warehouses and the amount of food on our shelves. They aren't expecting forklifts, pallets, and semi-trucks. That's when the conversation turns to the difference between a food bank and a food pantry. Food banks – Midwest Food Bank, like other foo...
A box of cereal and a smile left a lasting impression on a 7-year-old boy in New York. Fast forward to 2020 and that boy is now a man in his early 40s and Jason Serrano can recount that event with clarity. "I know that smile was because she was doing God's work," Jason says about how the woman from a church down the street came to his ho...
Midwest Food Bank will open a new location in the Hershey, Pennsylvania, area, MFB President and CEO David Kieser announced today. Jason and Aleta Serrano of New York are leading a team of organizers to expand MFB's impact. They are currently seeking a facility to lease for the new division. "In Pennsylvania, 1 in 8 households are food insecure, an...
Midwest Food Bank has been shipping Disaster Relief all over the US since March (stories here and here). Family food boxes have have been helping people affected by business closures and layoffs. Volunteers have been assembling, filling, and driving food boxes every week. The Tender Mercies packing machine has been running non-stop, setting new pro...
With a bit of creativity, the third annual Kind Harvest fundraising event will be remembered for years to come. Due to COVID-19, our shared table event was virtual this year. "The need has grown, so must the Harvest," was the theme for he night. Fanchon Stinger of Fox59 gave everyone a warm welcome. Participants enjoyed a hand-crafted ch...
The COVID crisis has created an increase in amount of food needed by our partner agencies. MFB Indiana has been able to provide this additional food with the help of generous donors and dedicated volunteers. This additional distribution has taxed our already tight operation. After learning of our need for space, long-time Midwest Food Bank supporte...
Pack the Pantries 2020 provided MFB Indiana a backdrop to tell the work being done in our community. It also gives people an opportunity to participate in a combined effort to alleviate hunger. Started by Mayor Greg Ballard 10 years ago, Pack the Pantries is a great example of a community uniting for a common goal. Held on July 1, the event r...
Typically, in July and August, Midwest Food Bank is preparing for the Disaster Relief we will provide during hurricane season. 2020 has been anything but typical. Much of our effort since March has been focused on Disaster Relief. The COVID-19 crisis has placed many people in a position of food insecurity. Thanks to your support, we have been ...
Midwest Food Bank is participating in a new USDA program benefitting food suppliers as well as those in need. The program is called the Farmers to Family Food Box Program. The USDA is partnering with national, regional, and local suppliers, who have been significantly impacted by the closure of food service businesses. The USDA will purchase u...
It's that time of year again. Articles with titles like "Top ten gifts for Dad" show up. They appear for a reason. It can be difficult finding a meaningful gift for a parent. Forgive us for adding one more suggestion to the mix. Some truly unique and purposeful time spent with Dad would be a gift to both the giver and recipient. What dad wouldn't a...
Always ready, always there is how the National Guard describes themselves. At Midwest Food Bank we know this is true. Since the end of March and until the end of June, the Indiana National Guard is providing about 50 men and women every week day to help MFB in all aspects of warehouse management and food distribution. Due to COVID 19 regular MFB vo...
In an effort to provide at-risk families with food during the COVID-19 crisis, Midwest Food Bank Indiana has partnered with several organizations and churches. Together, they are supporting and operating "Pop-up Pantries," off-site food distribution locations in Indianapolis, IN. "The Indianapolis community is doing what it does best – stepping up ...
The Midwest Food Bank central team welcomes a new bookkeeper to our team: Julie Bakewell. Julie will be assisting on the central and Haiti MFB accounts. She will be working out of the Bloomington-Normal location. Julie comes to Midwest Food Bank with many years of experience in accounting and non-profit work. They include time spent at State Farm a...
This is an unprecedented season of Disaster Relief at Midwest Food Bank. Responding to the needs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is posing unique challenges. Most states are experiencing work suspensions and quarantines, causing food insecurity. Rather than sending relief to a single disaster area, our partner, The Salvation Army, has been re...
Dear Friend of Midwest Food Bank, What an extraordinary time this is! Just one short month ago, we would not have thought all of the changes we've been through were possible. And yet now many of us are sheltering in place, watching unusual events unfold. Much has changed in the 15 years since Midwest Food Bank began providing Disaster Relief after ...
Midwest Food Bank Indiana works alongside many ministries to help people in need. One of these is Saul to Paul Ministries in Ellettsville. It is an in-house recovery program for men over the age of 18. This no-cost program uses the Bible as its curriculum and helps men that struggle with life controlling sin and addiction. These are encourage...
Late in 2019, two business publications have recently had favorable things to say about Midwest Food Bank. Business.org published a list of "The Best Charities for Your Money in Every State." Midwest Food Bank was selected as the best charity for your money in Illinois. Based on transparency and program expense, each of the fifty chariti...
Moody Bible Radio recently featured the work of Midwest Food Bank through a conversation with John Whitaker, Executive Director of the Indiana location. John shared with listeners the impact of MFB in Indiana, nationally and internationally. He also talked about how God makes himself known through MFB as well as ways to partner financially and thro...
The gifts were wrapped and the Christmas care packages organized at the Church of Lord of Jesus Christ in Indianapolis. The congregation continued their work as they mourned the tragic death of their assistant pastor, Chris Smith. Smith was shot and killed at his own bachelor party on Nov. 29. Then, less than a week before Christmas, a fire ca...
by John Whitaker, MFB Indiana Executive Director A baby so helpless, so meek and so mild Was sent as a Savior, came to earth as a child. It was a manger that first held the redemption for sin, Prepared before time, Christ's earthly life would begin. He was born of a virgin and admired by kings; In His life he would do some miraculous things. He wou...
