In this series, Beyond the Table, we explore the root causes of hunger across our service area, spotlight the advocates working to address those issues and share ways you can join in to help us seek long-term solutions for our communities. Together, we can go beyond the table and work toward a future where everyone has the resources they need to thrive.

Hunger in Indiana County 

Indiana County is known for its natural beauty and tight-knit neighborhoods. Nestled amongst the Allegheny Mountains, Indiana County boasts 250 cultural events a year that celebrate the rich history and diverse communities in the area. Yet beneath the beauty and small-town warmth, many neighbors are quietly struggling to put food on the table. 

Right now, more than 11,100 people—about 1 in 7 residents—are facing hunger in Indiana County. The crisis impacts all age groups: 1 in 6 children live in households where consistent access to nutritious food is uncertain, and 9% of seniors survive below the poverty line, often forced to make impossible choices between groceries, utilities and medication. 

 Like many rural areas we’ve discussed in this series, food access is limited by distance and transportation. Grocery stores may be miles away, and public transit is scarce. For someone without a reliable vehicle, just getting to a store or pantry can mean relying on a neighbor for a ride—or going without.  

 For families with children, the struggle intensifies during summer months when schools close and free or reduced-price meals disappear from the daily routine. Parents suddenly must stretch already tight budgets, often while navigating work schedules and limited distribution times at local pantries.

Our Work in Indiana County 

Hunger in Indiana County may be a quiet crisis, but it’s not invisible—and it’s not without solutions. In Indiana County, we work with 72 partners including food pantries, hot meal programs and child nutrition partners to distribute food to neighbors who are food insecure. Last year, we awarded more than $100,000 in impact grants to our partners in the county to support their needs such as equipment, food and staff. We also distributed over 588,000 pounds of food, the equivalent of 779,000 meals, to more than 13,200 households in the county. This includes nearly 191,000 pounds of produce. 

We partner with Indiana County Community Action Program (ICCAP), the largest nonprofit in the county, which operates 17 food pantries across Indiana and also provides senior boxes, emergency food distributions and a nutrition corner to educate the community about healthy eating. We rely on this partnership to get food into the hands of neighbors in Indiana County.

Empowering our Partner Network by Investing in Their Future 

As described in the previous section, we rely on our partnership with ICCAP to serve neighbors in Indiana County. We support them through technical assistance, impact grants, funds on account for purchasing food from our inventory and other resources. Through this collaboration, ICCAP identified two critical needs in order to expand their services: a larger facility and additional staff support. To address these challenges, ICCAP launched a campaign to fundraise for a new building. In the meantime, we awarded them a $33,782 Impact Grant to support their transition from the old warehouse to a temporary location. Additionally, we funded two part-time positions—an administrative assistant and a warehouse assistant—to strengthen their capacity during this period. 

“These positions will coordinate with the Collective Impact Initiative’s Community Specialist to organize nutrition and food education, planning and/or hosting volunteer events and workdays, and other outreach efforts” says ICCAP Food Bank Director, Aimee Kemp. “They will also provide administrative and capacity-building support for community-led projects and programs.”

Collective Impact and the Indiana County Working Group 

In January 2023, the Food Bank and our partners established the Indiana County Collective Impact Working Group (Working Group) whose focus is to better understand the unique needs in the county and create pathways for community-led solutions. Community leaders from a range of sectors — including healthcare, education, non-profit organizations, and partner food pantries — came together to brainstorm, launch and fund solutions to improve access to food assistance. 

 Feedback from community members is a critical part of the collective impact process. By developing a deeper understanding of barriers to accessing food assistance, Working Groups can brainstorm solutions that address existing gaps in service delivery. The Working Group surveyed 157 food pantry participants at 7 locations, and we learned that:   

• 61% of survey respondents use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to supplement their household food budget. 

• Lack of transportation and other commitments were the most significant barrier faced by those using food pantries. 

• Pantry participants want and need their food pantries to offer fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, meat and eggs.

 Using this data, the Working Group created a plan to address the specific needs of Indiana County. First, to increase access to food assistance, we needed to ensure existing food pantries have the funding and equipment they need to serve the communities. The Working Group approved critical investments such as purchasing equipment and program supplies such as freezers, supplies, carts, scales, tables, refrigerators and more. In 2024, The Working Group and Collective Impact approved funding to support the Indiana Community Garden with supplies and a part-time Garden Coordinator position in the garden and at Chevy Chase Food Forest to increase food production in the garden and provide education opportunities and gardening workshops. “We realize how much support this community has and how we can all work together,” says Marie Olson of the Indiana Community Garden. “Because of all these connections, we are able to reach more people.” 

 For 2025, the Working Group’s goals are to reach more people in rural parts of the county and is actively brainstorming ideas to make summer food programs for children more accessible as well as ideas to supplement nutrition education with more cooking classes. 

How You Can Help 

There are many ways to get involved with our work in Indiana County. You can get involved with the Food Bank in two simple ways:  

1. Advocating for anti-hunger policies with your local and state officials that help neighbors facing food insecurity. Start by signing up for our Advocacy Newsletter to receive timely alerts on current actions and ways to alleviate food insecurity. https://pittsburghfoodbank.org/get-involved/advocate/  
2. Donating to support programs and operations that make our mission possible in Indiana County. Every $1 donated to the Food Bank can help provide up to 3 meals to neighbors in need. Unlike going to the grocery store, we work directly with manufacturers, retailers, local farmers and government agencies to source foods in mass quantities (some of which would have otherwise gone to waste) for distribution.  

   Are you in need or want to give back to an organization in Indiana County? Visit our Food Finder Tool and type in “Indiana County” when prompted to enter an address or ZIP Code.