MCCORDSVILLE — As families across Central Indiana wait for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, organizations, businesses and residents are stepping up to make sure Hoosiers don’t go hungry. One McCordsville woman is doing her part by creating meal kits to help fill the gap.
Amy Grissom said she felt compelled to act when she learned about cuts to the benefits program hundreds of Hoosiers depend on.
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“My heart has been heavy for people that have been affected with the SNAP cuts, so I wanted to do something to help others,” Grissom said.
For Grissom, that means a few extra trips to the grocery store. She’s been putting together meal kits full of nonperishable items for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
“We've got pancake syrup and pancakes for another breakfast option. We could also do that for dinner. Uh, we've got rice, canned chicken," she explained. "We've got pasta, pasta sauce, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly,” Grissom said. “With each meal kit, is 15 to 20 meals that can help them.”
Grissom keeps the kits in her car, so she's ready to deliver them to families who can’t make it to a food pantry.
“It’s just one more step. I want to help them if they can’t go to a food pantry,” she said.
This comes as food pantries across Hancock County and central Indiana see an increase in Hoosiers.
At McCordsville United Methodist Church, located at 6247 W Broadway, they saw a 25% increase in people at their weekly food pantry, which runs every Wednesday morning from 9 a.m.-11a.m.
Lines wrapped around the parking lot as shelves were quickly cleared during their weekly pantry distribution.
As they prepare for increased demand, they're calling on the community now more than ever to help them and others continue to meet the need.
“We’re just not getting the resources that we had been before everything has happened, so yeah, it’s very important to donate as much as you can to the pantries,” a church volunteer said.
Grissom hopes her actions encourage others to lend a hand.
“I hope it inspires other people to see how attainable it is to use your own money to help,” she said. “I think if we as the community come around our community, we could really turn the tide on helping people in this difficult time.”
Grissom said she's given away three kits so far, and she plans to continue assembling and delivering the kits for at least the next few weeks, as needed.
You can contact her at amseystudios@gmail.com if you or someone you know might need one.
She delivers them beyond Hancock County.
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Naja Woods is the In Your Community senior reporter for Lawrence/Hancock counties. She started her journalism career in 2019 after graduating from Knox College in Illinois. She’s always looking forward to making a difference by empowering the diverse communities throughout the area and helping share their unique perspectives through storytelling. Share your story ideas and important issues with Naja by emailing news@wrtv.com.
