Hunger and the case for mutual aid in Indianapolis
Tags: Indianapolis, Mutual Aid, Poverty, Food Insecurity

Happy (almost) New Year, folks. I thought it was long past due to update you all on our journey with Thank You Neighbor! and community fridges in Indianapolis. Currently we have one very successful dry goods pantry outside of Southeast Community Services, and our original fridge is located inside SECS. Both are successful thanks to you all! Your donations and time have helped us to provide goods and food to Hoosiers that need it. Also, we’ve encountered so many roadblocks, new paths, new contacts, and more along the way, it’s been a challenge to keep you all updated on our ever-changing path.

Thank You Neighbor! (TYN) was initially started to put community fridges in food insecure areas of Marion County, where folks could bring their excess produce and groceries for others to grab to help combat the rising food insecurity due to COVID-19, and also share the wealth of resources that our community has. Inspired by our friends at Love Fridge Chicago, we initially started as an off-shoot and aligned with their mission to “leave what you can, take what you need”. Our first fridge was launched in Fountain Square in September 2020, and the initial outreach was amazing! Folks were more then willing to hop in and help, and the team at Southeast Community Services was and has been incredibly supportive. When I spoke to WRTV shortly before launching, it was really exciting to discuss the impact I was hoping we could make as a community-led mutual aid organization. However, after the press coverage, the Marion County Health Department reached out and told us to stop fridge operations immediately. The only way to proceed was to get a “Retail Food Establishment” license, similar to what a bar or restaurant would have. The fridge isn’t a bar or restaurant, though. I compiled a list of safety measures that we’d be taking to ensure the health and safety of all utilizing the fridge, but was constantly met with different reasons on why the fridge wouldn’t work: It wasn’t inside a restaurant; it was possible, but it needed an outdoor shelter; it wasn’t possible because it had electricity; it may have been possible had I asked the department for permission first; or “I already sent you an email saying you can’t do this, so really there’s no need to call me”.

The fridge doesn’t fall under a produce stand category (which does not require a license), but it also doesn’t fall under a vending machine category (which is a separate operating license). Back and forth we went, with new reasons why this wouldn’t work with every conversation. After hitting a wall with the Health Department, I’ve moved on to discuss with Mayor Joe Hogsett’s office, and a few state representatives who understand the work we’re trying to do.

We’ve tried many different avenues, but have realized that our current Health Department codes do not meet the demands of our communities, especially with the rapid increase of poverty and hunger due to COVID-19. If people have fresh produce and are giving it away on Nextdoor - why couldn’t we provide a safe, refrigerated space for it to be stored that was sanitized and monitored daily until someone could take what they needed?

When I dug into why mutual aid was such a hot-button item in Marion County, I uncovered a LOT of data that points to additional disparities we see in our community. First off, Marion County is the #1 county in the state for food insecurity, and Indiana is in the top 11 states for food insecurity in the nation, according to data provided by Indy Hunger Network. According to the 2019 census, Marion County has 964,582 residents, and almost one out of five live in a food desert, or an area within a community that has no access to fresh, healthy food within walking distance or because of lack of reliable public transportation. (Senator Aaron Freeman, I hope the new Corvette was worth the damage done to the city and its residents. Keep me posted).

Due to the revitalization and gentrification of Indianapolis’ downtown, more grocery stores have moved into more urban areas, however, food access is the worst for folks that rely on public transportation or walking to purchase groceries and Black residents are more likely to live in food deserts than any other race or ethnicity in the county.

According to Indy Hunger Network, employment does not negate the need for food assistance either, as “Indiana’s minimum wage earns a gross salary of $15,080 annually and 47 percent of Marion County residents are making too little to make ends meet”.

There are currently 200 food pantries in Marion County. That’s a ton! However, some are only open once a month, or from 4–6 two nights a week, or are volunteer-run which is difficult to maintain, especially during the pandemic. Pantries have seen an increased need during COVID-19, as well, and are often running out of food. TYN could easily be an “add-on” for these pantries: a community fridge that they help manage that houses donations from neighbors that supplements pantry hours. But without the support or categorization from the Health Department, these organizations are concerned they’ll lose state or federal funding if they host a fridge.

We are more than willing to collaborate with the Health Department- in fact, I think it’s a necessity, and I think it’s time for our government to show they care about citizens too. We need support on a higher level to show we don’t WANT to be 11th in the nation for food insecurity. And it’s not just state-level: City County Councillor Michael-Paul Hart introduced PROP 291 in September, which would have required the registration of donors for charitable goods (such as food, clothing, first aid, etc.), it would restrict donation activities, and require advance permitting for any public distribution. It was cruel and unethical, and Councillor Hart’s reasoning for the bill was absurd. So much so, that 1500 people signed the petition against the bill. According to SAVI’s published research in November 2019, Councillor Hart: your district is a food desert. You were actively fighting against the needs of your constituents, and all Marion County residents.

Thankfully, our City-County Council struck down Prop 291, but note this: there are people actively fighting against feeding our community. Elected Officials. Government entities. Why is it up to us alone to take care of one another? This state prides itself at running at a surplus - shouldn’t we be looking out for the people who pay for that surplus to begin with?

Mayor Hogsett has rolled out numerous plans to combat food insecurity and hunger in Indianapolis, and some have been successful. I’ve heard good things about the discounted Lyft rides to and from grocery stores for food deserts (but think - if we just prioritized and funded safe and reliable public transportation, we wouldn’t need this), and the Community Compass app has allowed people to understand where they can receive aid. But every new “hunger coalition” that our Mayor creates seems to reinforce the disparity between organizations and the people that actually need fed. Hunger is a symptom of poverty, and parts of our community are kept in poverty because of Capitalism, White Supremacy, and the Patriarchy. Instead of putting a council together to put a band-aid on our issues, we’d be better off trying to work on why we’re isolating so many Hoosiers in the first place.

All of this being said, I know TYN will not end hunger in Indianapolis. That’s not the point: there is currently no 24/7, no questions asked, food resource in Marion County. We want to be that, and we’re willing to work with any state entity or official to get there - if they’d return our emails and calls, or be open to the conversation. In the meantime, we’ll continue to distribute dry good pantries, fridges (within parameters), and more, and utilize our neighbors to help fill them. Because Hoosier Hospitality isn’t just being friendly, it’s taking care of each other, no matter the situation. We have the potential, and it’s time to put it to the test.

Happy Holidays,

Steph at Thank You Neighbor!