By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — Plans to establish four new programs that will address food insecurity in Kosciusko County received a green light this week.
Kosciusko County’s Health First Indiana advisory committee recommended that the county health board support spending nearly $50,000 on four programs proposed by Caroline Arnett, who has worked for 10 years on food insecurity issues for the Purdue Extension office, including the last two years in the Warsaw office across from the Kosciusko County Justice Building.
The four-pronged approach was proposed by the Kosciusko Food Security Coalition, which was established about 18 months ago and is headed up by Arnett.
Efforts to improve access to food for local residents are supported by recent research.
A study that relied on US Census statistics found that the number of people who believe they’re not getting enough food stood at 9.0 percent in 2021, but that’s been rising and reached 13.9 percent in 2023.
“So that’s about 10,900 people in Kosciusko that feel they can’t access food easily to live a safe and healthy lifestyle,” Arnett said.
Much of that increase had to do with the pandemic, but recent policy changes at the state and federal levels are expected to make circumstances even worse, officials believe.
A wellness study initiated as part of HELP, Hoosiers Enduring Legacy Program, which was headed up by Lisa Harman, executive director with Live Well Kosciusko, found that food security is a top wellness issue for many throughout the county.
Kosciusko County’s Health First advisory Council voted to recommend that the county health board support funding the proposals, using Health First Indiana money allocated by the state.
Likely the biggest proposal is the creation of a SNAP coordinator who would network throughout the county to encourage those who qualify to sign up for SNAP benefits, formerly known by many as food stamps.
“If you sign up for SNAP, that tends to be the No. 1 way to reduce food insecurity in your community,” Arnett said. “It’s the easiest way, too. Plus, it brings money into our community for local stores, which I think we all appreciate that.”
The coordinator would be a contracted position and work out of the Live Well Kociusko office in the K21 Health Pavilion near Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital.
The coordinator would help people overcome barriers such as literacy or the lack of transportation needed to visit the Family and Social Services Administration office in Warsaw, where SNAP is administered locally.
The job would also have an educational component.
“That person can also direct them to our local food pantries … and even help with nutrition or guidance on about how to stretch their dollars and their budget,” Harman said.
The existence of SNAP coordinators is somewhat common in other counties.
“In some counties, you might see two, three or four, and right now, we don’t have any,” Arnett said.
Another proposal would help expand an existing Indiana program known as Double Up Bucks, which doubles the buying power of SNAP recipients who are purchasing healthy food at farmers’ markets.
The third program is aimed at providing healthy food to those who have cancer or are living with chronic disease or obesity.
“Meating the Need” is the fourth effort and involves distributing meat purchased from farmers.
The third and fourth programs also have a nutritional component.
Arnett has more ideas that she’s developing and said she wants to work more closely with food pantries, food banks and local farmers.
Sourcing locally grown food is often a better choice, she said.
Farmers can play an important role.
“We also want them to know that if they are in a position to donate anything from their farms, whether it’s fruits and vegetables or meats, there is a large need for it,” Arnett said, adding that such donations can be a tax write-off.
Arnett provided details of the four programs to Kosciusko County’s Health First Advisory Council on Wednesday night. Earlier on Wednesday, Arnett and Harman talked with News Now Warsaw about food insecurity for this weekend’s public affairs show, In the Know.
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