By Tom Spalding, Communications Volunteer
Financial donations are crucial to the success of any food pantry, as they enable us to buy in bulk and stretch every dollar to its maximum potential. By purchasing in large quantities, we can acquire staple items like rice, beans, and canned produce at a lower cost, ensuring that we have enough to meet the growing demands of our community.
Bulk purchasing also helps us to maintain a steady supply of essential items, allowing us to keep our shelves stocked with the foods that our clients rely on. These donations are the foundation of our pantry, allowing us to provide for those who need it most.
However, financial support alone is not enough. The generosity of local communities, especially through food drives conducted by schools, brings a special energy to our pantry. These food drives bring unique, unexpected items that go beyond the basics. It’s the items like chunky soups, specialty pasta, or even a bottle of vegetable oil that make a huge difference. These food items might not always be readily available through bulk purchases, yet they can add variety and nutrition to a meal, making a world of difference to those who are struggling to feed their families.
This type of donation provides both nourishment and a sense of dignity, as clients can cook meals that feel like home and use ingredients they may not have been able to buy on their own.
What’s even more meaningful is the connection that food drives create between the school community and our pantry. Students, parents, and staff come together for a common cause, creating a sense of solidarity and shared purpose.
These drives aren’t just about donating food; they also raise awareness of the ongoing needs within our community and inspire a culture of compassion and giving. Newly released data show that 1,355 is our monthly average households served!
When schools participate in these efforts, it shows the students the impact of their generosity, teaching them the importance of charity and how their actions can directly improve the lives of others.
A January to Remember
- In what has become a wonderful annual tradition, third graders from the International School of Indiana delivered needed/requested items that they purchased (from raised funds) from Walmart. They brought in 913 pounds!
- A food drive tied to the Super Bowl led by St. Thomas Aquinas resulted in 750 cans of chunky soup. This was especially timely because all the Pantry had was cream of mushroom soup (and some cans of tomato). The drive also brought in 182 bottles of oil which immediately went onto the shelves for shoppers. A total of 1,286 pounds of donated food! Boulevard Place Food Pantry also received a donation of $5,000 coming to us from a donor through the school.
- Joan of Arc’s food drive brought us 1,170.2 pounds of food and non-food items. There was so much we had trouble finding places to store it before it got formally stocked.
- Year-round we get a tremendous amount of food donated by Immaculate Heart of Mary, Christ the King and St. Luke.
Ultimately, the combination of financial donations and the special items brought in through food drives creates a dynamic, impactful system that profoundly benefits our clients. The bulk purchases ensure we have the essential items, while the donations from food drives add variety and joy to the meals we provide. Both forms of support are vital to keeping our shelves stocked and our community thriving, and we are deeply grateful for the continued generosity of both our donors and our school partners.
News and Notes
Late last year, we told you previously about leadership changes planned for 2025 that included a new board president (Lisa Wilson) and two co-directors (Matt Hayes and Bob White).
At our January 28 meeting to kick off the new year, we celebrated additional big changes in leadership. We added to the team two new parish representatives (Amy McDonald, Christ the King; Liz Samperio, St. Thomas Aquinas). New Board President Lisa Wilson of Christ the King presented outgoing President Phyllis McNamara with a mug bearing our logo (our brand) and her name, a gift card to a favorite restaurant, and we expressed our many, many thanks for all she has done for the pantry. The good news is that she will continue to volunteer for us. Thank you, Amy, Liz, Lisa, and Phyllis!
The Pantry on TV
We really appreciate WRTV-TV (Channel 6) reporter Rachael Wilkerson stopping by the pantry to interview Phyllis in her role as Thursday team shift leader. The story showcased how food pantries like ours are stepping in to address food insecurity whether because of the economy or other issues. There’s no one more compassionate to talk to. “There’s so many people to be fed,” Phyllis told Rachael.
Did you See Our Annual Report?
Hopefully, you’ve had a chance to read our newly remodeled annual report, which was created in an easier-to-read brochure format. One side has our annual highlights while the other contains all the key information that donors, shoppers and supporters want to know.
What We’re All About
The Boulevard Place Food Pantry is a work of St. Vincent de Paul and is located at the intersection of 42nd Street and Boulevard Place (4202 Boulevard Pl., Indianapolis, IN 46208). Sponsored by five Catholic parishes on the north side of Indianapolis, it provides emergency food for those in need. A family representative may come once a week to receive between 17 or 25 items (depending on family size) of food or supplies (such as soap, personal items, and diapers). Recipients are offered a choice of items, except on the Wednesday drive-up when they receive a pre-packed order. Recipients must live within one of five ZIP codes (46205, 46208, 46220, 46240, 46260) and are required to provide a piece of mail with their name and address on it (e.g. a utility bill) no more than 2 months old. Recipients must attest that they are under the most recent income USDA guidelines to receive food from The Federal Emergency Food Program (TEFAP).
