Northside Food Pantry
Caring for those experiencing hardship and food insecurity in Washington Township.
HUNGER
As Christians, we welcome all to the table. Yet, we know that some of our friends and neighbors may be facing food insecurity as they try to provide for their families. We invite you to explore the many ways Second is addressing the issue of hunger in our neighborhood, city, and world.
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Need Help?
Whether you’re facing tough times or just need a little extra support, the Northside Food Pantry is here to help. We are open three days a week and ready to serve our Washington Township neighbors. Find us at the northeast corner of Second Presbyterian Church.
Northside Food Pantry Hours
Tuesdays12:30 - 3 PM Wednesdays 4 - 6:30 PM Saturdays 10 AM - 12 PM Doors open 30 minutes prior to above times. Serving residents of Washington Township and these zip codes: 46220, 46226, 46228, 46240, 46250, 46260, 46268, 46280, 46205, and 46208. Please bring proof of residency such as a current bill or piece of mail with your name and address. Our Location
7700 N. Meridian StreetIndianapolis, IN 46260 Contact Us
317-253-6461, ext. 311
Why Volunteer?
- Give back to the community.
- Meet new people.
- See joy on the faces of others.
- When you help others, it makes you feel good.
- Fellowship
- Gain confidence and important interpersonal skills.
- Make a difference.
It takes roughly 80 volunteers a week to run our pantry.
For more information, please contact Karen Johnson.
Make a Donation
Northside Food Pantry sources most of its food through Gleaners. If you would like to help keep the pantry shelves stocked, you can donate online and select "Northside Food Pantry" in the drop-down menu.
Community Garden
The three-quarter acre plot south of the church provides fresh vegetables to the Northside Food Pantry. Dedicated volunteers tend the garden, which is not only productive, but also beautiful, featuring flower beds, a seating area, and a prayer garden.
Contact:
Jeff Reese
Garden Manager
reesejs19@gmail.comWillowlake/Greenbriar Elementary School
Northside works collaboratively with Women@Second and other friends of Greenbriar to provide volunteer support for classrooms and school events, snacks for after-school tutoring, teacher appreciation events, and the donation of school supplies and other specially requested items.
Greenbriar students need school supplies throughout the year. Download the supply list and bring donations to Second in a bag marked “Greenbriar.”
Contact:
Jan Millholland
jmillholland@indy.rr.comUtility and Rent Assistance
The Utility and Rent Assistance Program (URAP) partners with the Washington Township Trustee's office and families in Washington Township to offer emergency assistance. In these “gap” situations, a little assistance goes a long way, often preventing a family from losing their housing or having their power shut off. Our partners provide vital case management with URAP families to ensure long term stability.
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Community Garden
Help our garden grow!Volunteer hours are:
- Saturday, 9 a.m. to Noon
- Tuesday, 9 a.m. to Noon
- Wednesday, 1-4 p.m. and 5-7 p.m.
Let's grow together! Volunteers are welcome to come help plant, weed, and care for our garden.
Volunteer hours are:
- Saturday, 9 a.m. to Noon
- Tuesday, 9 a.m. to Noon
- Wednesday, 1-4 p.m. and 5-7 p.m.
No experience required! The garden team will be on hand to coach volunteers in a variety of tasks including picking beans, cleaning produce, bundling food, assembling soup kits, and more. Some jobs (but not all) require bending over or getting down on the ground.
Last year the garden team harvested two tons of produce! This fresh food goes on the shelves of the Northside Food Pantry, where it is distributed to local families.
If you would like to help in the garden, please contact Jeff Reese at (317) 407-5757 or ReeseJS19@gmail.com and ask to receive email "Garden Updates."
Umoja is a partnership of many faiths, from different cultures, on two different continents, united in our service to change lives by keeping children in school. We believe that education is the key to a better future for orphaned and vulnerable children in the Chulaimbo, Kenya community.
The Umoja Partnership provides programs and services designed to keep orphaned and vulnerable children in school. We partner with primary and secondary schools to identify vulnerable children to address their individual needs.
Programs include: School tuition and uniforms, school lunch through our food security program, weekend and evening food support for child-headed households, mentoring and empowerment programs to provide a social and emotional support system, and basic needs such as blankets, solar lamps, feminine hygiene products and home construction.
Second Presbyterian Church Mission team and Umoja Partnership are partnering together to raise funds to add another primary partner school in Kenya in January 2025. We need your help.
- $10 provides a school uniform to a student in need.
- $10 donation provides a female student with sanitary towels for a year.
- $25 provides empowerment programming for one child for a year.
- $50 donation provides school lunch for a primary school student for a year.
- $280 donation provides school uniforms for an entire school for a year.
- $425 donation provides solar lamps for students.
- $1,000 donation will educate a student for secondary school.
- $2,500 donation will provide a student with tuition for post-secondary school.
Can you help us continue to transform communities one child at a time?
To learn more about Umoja Partnership, please visit: UmojaPartnership.org.
Are you interested in traveling to Kenya with a group from Second Presbyterian Church? Reach out to us at Up@UmojaPartnership.org
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Advocacy: Speak Out for Others
Add your voice to Second's work addressing both hunger and housing issues right here in our community and across the country.
Why do we do this work? As Christians we are called to speak out on behalf of others. Read Rev. Chris Henry's article No More "Playing Church" and watch the conversation between Rev. Chris Henry and Jim Morris, president and CEO of Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity.
Add your voice to Second's work addressing both hunger and housing issues right here in our community (a church for the city!) and across the country. We'll equip you with helpful information, as well as offer tools to help you contact your state and national government representatives.
Advocate for Action
So much of our mission work involves being the hands and feet of Christ, providing food for our neighbors, building and repairing homes. Advocacy Days allow us to amplify the voice of Christ as well, speaking out for those in need.
This work is nonpartisan. We are all called to bear the burdens of others and walk alongside our neighbors. Writing to our representatives is an opportunity to address the roots of housing and hunger issues, getting to the factors that perpetuate the problems.
Thank you for putting your faith into action by using your voice to advocate for others. Follow these three easy steps to speak out:
1. Educate yourself about the issues and current legislation being considered.
- Click here for information about Indiana legislation related to housing (updated June 2022).
- Click here to learn about U.S. legislation related to food security (updated June 2022). More information is available on the Bread for the World website (Bread.org).
2. Gather names and addresses for your representatives.
Not sure who your representative is? Find out here. When you enter your address into this website, you'll learn who your state and national representatives are.
3. Write a letter stating what is on your heart.
Sample Letter Format:
Address your letter to "The Honorable (name of member of Congress)"
Paragraph 1: Establish importance of this topic.
"Hunger is an important issue to me because..." (state why hunger is an important issue to you)
Examples:
- "My faith calls me to action..."
- "I have faced hunger in my life..."
- "I know people who odn't know where their next meal is coming from..."
- "I work at a food pantry..."
Paragraph 2: Call to action
"You are facing legislation..."
- List current legislation this Congressperson should be considering.
- Tell the Congressperson how you would like them to vote on these issues.
- Let them know that you vote based on thes issue and that you will be watching to see what they do.
Sign your letter:
Your constituent,
Name
Full address (to establish yourself as their constituent)Thank you to Jeff and Cathie Reese for providing the food security research and these letter writing tips! Thank you to Rev. Tyler Brinks for researching housing legislation in Indiana!
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Northside Mission Ministry
Home Deliveries
