Statewide Food Drive - December 2007
Ron Stiver, Commissioner of the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, announced on Tuesday, December 11, 2007, that Hoosiers contributed 27,000 non-perishable food items during the first statewide BMV Holiday Food Drive. The drive started on November 26 and concluded on December 8.
Stiver commented, "We are very grateful to the thousands of Hoosiers and to our own BMV staff for their generous contributions. Through partnership with food banks and pantries across the state, the donated food items will go to those Hoosiers most in need during this holiday season."
Some of the 27,000 food items contributed at BMV license branches.
Stiver noted that the Indianapolis metro area branches and the BMV administrative offices received over 6,000 items. He also thanked the eleven regional food banks who helped coordinate the distribution of the food and acknowledged the support of Waste Management of Indiana for providing the collection boxes and making a generous $2,500 cash contribution to start the drive.
Julio Alonso, president of Feeding Indiana's Hungry (the coalition of Indiana food banks), expressed appreciation. "We were very pleased to work with the BMV on the first statewide Food Drive. Our regional food banks and partner food pantries in large and small communities welcome the supply of food that the BMV has gathered. Many fellow Hoosiers will have meals over the Holiday season because this drive was so successful. We look forward to even greater success next year."
Participating regional food banks include:
- Community Harvest Food Bank in Fort Wayne
- Food Bank of Northwest Indiana in Gary
- Food Finders Food Bank in Lafayette
- Gleaners Food Bank in Indianapolis
- Hoosier Hills Food Bank in Bloomington
- Human Services, Inc. in Columbus
- Second Harvest Food Bank in Anderson
- South Eastern Indiana Economic
Opportunity Corporation in Aurora - Terre Haute Catholic Charities in Terre Haute
- Tri-State Food Bank in Evansville
- Food Bank of Northern Indiana in South Bend
