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Lincoln Financial Foundation Awards $5,000 To Hoosiers Feeding The Hungry

Lincoln Financial Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Lincoln Financial Group, recently awarded Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry a grant to be used to serve Allen County residents. These funds will help Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry pay processing fees for large game and livestock donations within Allen County.

Founded in 2011, Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry asks area hunters and farmers to take their large game or livestock to a participating meat processor where the donation is processed, packaged and frozen (at no cost to the donor). Local hunger-relief agencies are contacted for pick up and distribution of this nutritious protein back into the community. “It is wonderful to see that this Foundation believes in enriching quality of life and strengthening our communities, while also encouraging philanthropy and community involvement – just as Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry does!” said Debra Treesh, Executive Director of Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry.

Many hardworking Hoosiers are still living paycheck to paycheck, regularly having to choose between paying bills or buying food. According to Feeding Indiana’s Hungry, about a third of Hoosiers are often at risk of going hungry, but they aren’t eligible for federal food assistance. The latest Feeding America Map the Meal Gap report states that 31% of residents who are food insecure can’t qualify for assistance. Those affected by food insecurity are often at high-risk for obesity and diet-related diseases due to the lack of quality in the foods that they can afford. Protein, an important component of every cell in the body and one of the most important nutrients for brain and body development in children, is also the hardest commodity for food banks to obtain. Food insecurity can lead loss of muscle mass and bone frailty, decreased immune system, babies with lower birth weights and with delayed development or in the early stages of life, and lower academic performance among children – as the lack of healthy food results in people receiving fewer nutrients.

More than 300,000 Indiana children have no idea where their next meal is coming from…

“The grant provided by the Foundation will pay to process about 3,700 pounds of donated large game and livestock – providing over 15,000 meals through area hunger-relief agencies to residents in need within our communities,” said Treesh. In the last eight years, Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry has helped to distribute approximately 1.3 million pounds of meat to Indiana food banks, providing over 5.2 million meals to Hoosiers in need. “To date, we have 87 participating meat processors working throughout Indiana to aid us in our mission and to ensure residents in need are served,” shared Amber Zecca, Fund Development Director of Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry. “In Allen County, we partner with seven local meat processors, Community Harvest Food Bank, and other local hunger-relief agencies to ensure residents have access to this nutritious protein.”

On average, the cost of this donated meat is about $1.30 per pound, which is less than $.30 per meal!

Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry is accepting donations to fund our “Meat” the Need program throughout Indiana and is continuously looking for volunteers to help us in our efforts to feed the hungry and reduce hunger issues throughout Indiana. For more information on the Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry program, its services and to find participating meat processors in your area, or to find out how you can help, please visit www.HoosiersFeedingtheHungry.org.