Church-led food pantries prepare for growing season

As the spring showers ebb, the growing season brings about a new set of challenges for food insecure families. Although Indianapolis has food assistance from local pantries, church food drives and community organizations, a change in seasons brings with it a change in need for those who are food insecure. “It’s not the greatest thing, it’s not that greatest feeling to have to come to the food pantry and we know that, so we try to make our clients — we’re just like family,” TJ Ranft, operations manager of Boulevard Place Food Pantry, said. It’s not just like a stone wall warehouse … we try to make the experience as well as it can be.” Boulevard Place Food Pantry, which is located at 4202 N. Boulevard Place, is part of the Saint Vincent de Paul Network and focuses on emergency food relief within five zip codes in Indianapolis. The pantry sources food donations, health items, volunteers and additional funding from five Indy-based Catholic parishes, said Matt Hayes, pantry director. Local first graders and volunteers help load hundreds of pounds of diapers during a drive at St. Thomas school. (Photo provided/Boulevard Place Food Pantry) “What we really want to do with...