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Have you ever thought about “the face of hunger?” It could be anyone who is food insecure—two-income families who can’t make ends meet, a disabled veteran, a single parent who needs a little help, a family burdened with unexpected medical bills, a widow facing life alone. The face of hunger can be anyone, and the need for food in Northwest Indiana is greater than it’s ever been.

To help fill the gap in food accessibility, Food Bank of Northwest Indiana (Lake & Porter County) will be the beneficiary of Strack & Van Til’s Checkout Challenge Round Up from Monday, Nov. 4, through Sunday, Dec. 29. Customers across the Region can choose to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar when shopping at their local Strack & Van Til store with those extra funds donated to the Food Bank.

Over the last five years alone, this Round Up campaign has funded more than 3 million meals to neighbors in Lake and Porter Counties, with three meals provided for every dollar donated.

The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana has been leading hunger relief efforts and the fight against food insecurity in the Region since 1982 and distributes more than 7 million pounds of groceries annually to families, children, seniors and individuals in Lake and Porter Counties.

Food Bank programs include five Mobile Market Food distributions per week, which serve 100-500 households per market; 120 partner agencies: pantries and soup kitchens that help feed local communities; senior grocery delivery, with doorstep delivery to 300 seniors per month; Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), which provides 1,700 senior boxes per month; and Backpack Programs, feeding school-age children on the weekend.

According to Amy Briseño, vice president of Development and Communications, the organization’s Mobile Market attendance has increased in the last month. “At one of the recent Saturday markets hosted here at our facility more than 670 households were served,” she notes. “The need is very elevated right now in our community.”

In 2023, in Lake and Porter Counties, 13% of residents — or 90,960 people — were food insecure. That included 32,150 children and one in six seniors. Food insecurity can lead to adverse social and health outcomes and has become a critical public health issue.

“The Strack & Van Til Checkout Challenge Round Up campaign is a unique opportunity that brings the community together to support families facing food insecurity. Every dollar raised goes directly to the Food Bank, providing nutrient-dense groceries for our friends and neighbors in need,” says Food Bank President and CEO Victor A. Garcia. “We’re incredibly grateful for Strack & Van Til’s partnership, the support from the Strack & Van Til employees and the incredible generosity of our community to make a real difference.”

Strack & Van Til continues its more than 95-year tradition of philanthropy by raising funds through the Checkout Challenge Round Up program to help organizations in the communities its serves throughout Northwest Indiana.

President Jeff Strack credits customer generosity and employee commitment for the success of the Checkout Challenge Round Up.

“Giving back to the communities we serve is just naturally a part of Strack & Van Til’s culture. We are incredibly grateful to our customers who contribute to these Round Up campaigns and make a difference in the lives of so many people,” Strack says. “Our customers are the best. They are the ones who give back to the community. Our stores, with the help of our employees, simply provide our customers with an outlet to donate to some of their favorite local organizations.”

Take part in Strack & Van Til’s current Checkout Challenge Round Up and support the programs provided by the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana.

For more information or to donate, visit foodbanknwi.org. To learn more about Strack & Van Til’s community involvement, visit strackandvantil.com/company/community-involvement.