MILFORD — A successful $1 million fundraising campaign by supporters of the Milford Food Bank has opened the door for construction to begin for a new warehouse.

The concrete foundation for the warehouse across the street from the food bank’s existing building is already in place and constuction of walls will begin Monday, said Angie Deak, development manager for the Milford Food bank.

[caption id="attachment_121615" align="alignright" width="227"] Angie Deak[/caption]

The food bank has been around since 2010 but has grown significantly in recent years and now provides food to more than 220 pantries across in 25 counties in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

Food inseccurity has been increasing in recent years since the pandemic five years ago.

These days, the food bank moves between 350,000-400,000 pounds of food per month.

Demand for assistance has grown in recent months due to inflation and other factors.

On top of that, the distribution of SNAP benefits (formerly known as food stamps) could be temporarily halted next wee as a result of  the governmnt shutdown that began 25 days ago.

Officials hope constrution is complete in March.

 “The need for the new facility to be able to expand our operations is very evident right now – we can’t get that building done quick enough!" Deak said.

“We’ve had an increase in pantries and facilities contacting us, saying can we come shop? Can we come get food from you?” Deak added.

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Check out the list of pantries that work with Milford Food Bank.

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Deak spoke with News Now Warsaw for its weekly public affairs show that can be heard this weekend on Kensington Digital Media radio stations.

The new 14,000 square foot warehouse will provide a larger capqcity for storage and more efficiencies, Deak said.

It will also have office space, which has been lacking at the existing warehouse on Emeline Street.

Deak, who has spent much of her life in Milford, and has 20 years of sales and marketing experience, was hired as the food bank’s first development manager in spring of 2024 at the same time warehouse expansion plans were taking shape.

Her background and networking fit well with the focus on fundraising.

"I have been overwhelmed in this last year and a half with how many people want to see Milford Food Bank succeed because they know the good work that we’re doing,” Deak said.

“It’s been a blessing to feel that support from the community,” she said.

Aside from a large network of pantries, food is also made available to “recovery homes, homeless shelters, churches or anybody who is serving or feeding people in need — they come to us for for food.”

Food insecurity has grown more common to the point that Deak said she believes everyone knows or interacts with people who worry about having enough to eat.

“There’s no way to say it doesn’t touch everybody because it does,” she said.

The food bank is now within $100,000 of its goal and will host another fundraiser on Nov. 1.

See details below.

[caption id="attachment_121617" align="aligncenter" width="978"] Canned food waiting to be dispersed sits in the Milford Food Bank's existing warehouse. News Now Warsw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

The post Construction of Milford Food Bank warehouse will soon ramp up appeared first on 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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In The Know can be heard at the following times:

News Now Warsaw (99.7 FM and 1480 AM):

Fridays at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Saturdays at 7 a.m. 

Sundays at 7 a.m. & 2 p.m.

WRSW (107.3):

Sundays at 6 a.m.

Willie (103.5 FM):

Sundays at 6 a.m.

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