Food is Just the Beginning: Second Harvest Support in Grant County

Have you seen a Second Harvest truck recently? Maybe you know of Second Harvest through our Tailgate Distribution at the Five Points Mall in Marion. Or perhaps your child’s school hosts one of our Big Idea school events.  While we’ve long served this community, we want you to know that we stand by our commitment to being a reliable partner in the fight against hunger.

Food insecurity remains a serious issue in Grant County. Recent data from Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study shows that approximately 18.3% of Grant County residents face food insecurity, a rate much higher than the state average of 13.9%. Even more alarming, nearly 1 in 4 children in Grant County experience food insecurity. This means they may not know where their next meal is coming from, and hunger could be impacting their ability to grow, learn, and thrive.

Food insecurity is more than a lack of food. It’s a complex issue that is rooted in multiple factors like poverty, unemployment, rising costs, and limited access to transportation. In Grant County, the rural makeup of many areas makes it a challenge for residents who live miles away from the nearest grocery store.

At Second Harvest, we believe food is just the beginning. We work across eight counties, including Grant, to provide food, resources, and support through local pantries, schools, and community organizations. In Grant County alone, we support more than a dozen partner agencies and schools, helping to distribute hundreds of thousands of pounds of food each year. Our Tailgate Distributions at the Five Points Mall alone serve hundreds of families each month, offering fresh produce, shelf-stable goods, and dairy—no questions asked. At our Tailgate events, anyone in need is welcome, and we encourage neighbors, friends, and family members to pick up food on behalf of others who may be homebound, working, and unable to attend.

While you may know us best through our Tailgate Distributions and Agency Partners, we also have programs like:

• Senior Safety Net – Easy-to-access locations for vulnerable adults over the age of 60
• Operation Full Pack – For veterans and active-service members, and their families who need additional supplies of food and other resources
• The Big Idea – Students and their families of participating schools have access to food and other resources, along with tools to support their child’s development.

• Volunteer at a distribution or at our warehouse. We always need extra help, and we simply could not do this work without the help of our volunteers. Contact Rachel Selke at rselke@curehunger.org to find out how you can volunteer.
• Host a food or fund drive at your workplace or church. Make a donation at curehunger.org/get-involved/donate.
• Become an advocate by sharing facts and stories.
• Refer neighbors in need to curehunger.org for a list of local resources.

Ending hunger takes all of us—nonprofits, businesses, faith communities, schools, local leaders, and compassionate individuals like you. It takes listening, learning, and working together to build solutions that last. When we pool our strengths, we create real change.
We’d love for you to join us, whether it’s volunteering your time, donating, advocating, or giving your testimony. If you’d like to connect with us, feel free to reach out to me at cshendershot@curehunger.org or call 765-287-8698 ext. 119.
Your neighbor,
 
C.S. Hendershot
Director of Fundraising and Development