Food Finders Food Bank seeks support to expand statewide initiative serving veterans and military families

Food Finders Food Bank is seeking community partners to bring a new food bank initiative focused on veterans and military families, closer to home. Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana originally launched the program, Operation Full Pack in July 2021.This distribution and support strategy is geared toward providing vital food and non-food products to struggling individuals and families who are serving or have served in the armed forces.

Currently, Operation Full Pack provides roughly 35 pounds of food monthly, to households of more than 150 local soldiers and veterans in need of support throughout East Central Indiana. The program is expanding to member food banks throughout Indiana, including Food Finders, to become a statewide initiative.

Emily Weikert Bryant, Executive Director of Feeding Indiana’s Hungry states, “All of our food banks are excited to see Operation Full Pack expand into other parts of the state. This collaborative model will continue to help reach more veterans and military family members in need.”

Food Finders plans to launch the program during the first quarter of 2022. In order to bring this program to the Greater Lafayette area, the food bank is looking to collaborate with veteran’s assistance organizations, distribution partners who are willing to pick up the food packs and deliver them to families, and funding partners interested in supporting this endeavor. By helping supply a “full pack,” the program will provide support for those who serve to be better prepared for challenges they may face.

Organizations that would like to get involved with Operation Full Pack should call 765.471.0062 or email [email protected].