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Food Finders Sets Date for Blue Jean Ball
Photo courtesy Food Finers
Food Finders Food Bank announced recently that it will host the 11th annual Blue Jean Ball on Saturday, May 4, 2024. In partnership with the Purdue University College of Agriculture, the Blue Jean Ball, presented by Cargill, the Coffin Family Foundation, Indiana Packers Corp, Pay Less Super Markets, and Ziegler Subaru, is the organization’s primary annual fundraising event. The event increases community awareness and raises vital funds to support the food bank’s mission.
“This event is always a great time,” says Kier Crites Muller, President/CEO at Food Finders Food Bank. “When we started the Blue Jean Ball in 2013, we intended to create a fun, casual, and meaningful evening that would help us accomplish a very serious task — spreading the word about how many of our neighbors are facing hunger every day.”
Food Finders distributes over 12 million pounds of food annually to nearly 65,000 Hoosiers through the combined efforts of 100 partner agencies, meal programs, and the food bank’s direct-service programs: BackPack, Fresh Market, Mobile Pantry, Senior Home Delivery, Education and Resource Coordination.
The Blue Jean Ball’s annual net impact has grown well over 400% since the initial event in 2013, with Food Finders raising over $924,000 through this event. Proceeds are used to expand Food Finders’ existing direct-service programs to meet an increase in need across its 16-county service area.
All ticket and auction proceeds will directly benefit the food bank thanks to the generosity of Cargill, the Coffin Family Foundation, Indiana Packers Corp, Pay Less Super Markets, Ziegler Subaru, and several other community sponsors. The 2023 Blue Jean Ball set a record by netting over $174,000 to support the Food Finders’ mission.
With delicious farm-to-table catering by Juniper Spoon, the event has become well-known as a light-hearted and fun evening that serves a serious need in our community. Once again, K105 WKOA’s Shamus will host the event, and a live, local auctioneer will host the silent and live auctions.
The Blue Jean Ball will occur on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at Beck Agricultural Center, 4550 US 52 West in West Lafayette. Individual and full-table tickets are on sale now. For more information please visit www.food-finders.org or call, (765) 471-0062.