NORTHWEST INDIANA – Franciscan Health recently hosted three Mobile Markets across the Diocese of Gary aimed at providing families experiencing food insecurity with the groceries needed to prepare a full Thanksgiving meal.
One frozen turkey and side items were distributed per family on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies lasted. Attendees were asked to present valid proof of Indiana residency. Volunteers, many of whom displayed holiday cheer by wearing turkey-shaped winter hats, were on-site at each location to assist with lining up vehicles for the drive-through events.
Rick Peltier, executive director of the Franciscan Health Foundation, explained the program, which started as the vision of Vice President of Medical Affairs Dr. Ibrahim Zabaneh through the Dyer and Munster hospital system. He came up with the idea in 2019, before the COVID pandemic, noticing the number of families in the Chicago and Northwest Indiana area who were in difficult financial situations. He created the food insecurity program in 2019 and, after several years of discussion and planning, it began assisting clients with its food program in 2021.
The Franciscan Health Foundation then began sharing its story and mission and was able to partner with and collect donations from generous individuals and businesses within the community, which strengthened the program and added to its sustainability five years later.
“Everything we generate in the program, that's how successful the program will be,” Peltier said. “Our food insecurity program is only as successful as our generous supporters and donors allow us to be.”
He added, “We have so many generous people in Northwest Indiana who care about making a difference, and they just don't want anybody to go food insecure. One in six children in Northwest Indiana is food insecure, and that's one too many. Everything that we're doing is thanks to our donors and our supporters, who are helping to make a difference.”
The Thanksgiving Mobile Market by Franciscan Health has grown every year. In Crown Point, for example, the foundation was able to expand the effort so that it now uses the Lake County Fairgrounds. Instead of the nearby hospital parking lot, the fairgrounds provide for a larger area where the cars could line up easily, wrapping around the lake on the property. On Nov. 18, each car received a turkey, canned goods, desserts and fresh produce such as onions, potatoes and sweet potatoes.
“We're really big on fresh produce,” Peltier said. “We have been able to increase the number of healthy foods, so it's not just giving food that might be high in sodium or unhealthy for them. We want to get to the root of food insecurity, and that starts with nutrition and health as well.”
Helping to pack and distribute the food were hundreds of volunteers who were not only connected to Franciscan Health, but also members of other community organizations such as the Crown Point Rotary Club.
“The rotary's mission aligns with Franciscan’s mission to help ensure that those struggling in our community receive the help they need,” Peltier said.
Danielle Crowder joked that she was the coordinator of the chaos, as she organized the volunteers and the method in which the recipients would receive their items as they drove through. The Franciscan Health Community Health Improvement Director commented that the best thing about being part of the mobile market process was seeing the gratitude of those in the cars and the camaraderie among the volunteers.
“It’s the partnerships and the people coming together for the magic of the holidays,” she said.
Crowder estimated the Thanksgiving Mobile Market in Crown Point has grown by 50 each year since it began. At the event on Nov. 18, approximately 300 families received items for their holiday dinner. It was the second one scheduled by Franciscan Health that week. The first mobile market took place on Nov. 17 in Hammond, and the final mobile market was held on Nov. 20 in Michigan City.
The mobile markets are made possible through a partnership with the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, the Northern Indiana Food Bank and generous donations to the Franciscan Health Foundation’s Food Insecurity Fund. Donations are available on the Franciscan Health Foundation website (https://www.franciscanhealthfoundation.org) by selecting Northern Indiana and Food Insecurity Fund in the drop-down menus or by calling (219) 661-3401.
