The Activities Of “Feed Evansville Task Force”

When Covid-19 impacted Evansville, Indiana in mid-March, Lisa Vaughan and City Councilman Alex Burton started a grassroots effort to ensure the Tri-State had food access during the Covid-19 Government Shut down.

The effort was so successful it led to the Mayor of Evansville deeming the Feed Evansville Group the official government Food Security task force of the area and named Lisa and Alex the co-chairs.

These efforts also shined a light that Food Security is an issue within the area and the Mayor officially announced that work will need to be ongoing after the pandemic is over.   

Feed Evansville organized a communication hub and tracked what every organization was doing (both Businesses and Non-profit). The task force created and shared a weekly food access flyer so community members would know where to receive services and published grocery & restaurant hours through social media, TV, radio, and emailed organizations to spread the word.  All services have been provided through fundraising and in-kind donations.  

Activities Of “Feed Evansville Task Force” For March & June.

 • Developed a pop-up grocery store that delivered groceries to those in need or having health concerns. • Assisted community members that have low income and circumstances that prevent them from grocery store access to receive delivered grocery boxes and worked with the federal government to be able to accept SNAP and Credit Cards for that delivery service.  March through the end of August. 

• Delivered an average of 100 pantry boxes weekly and will continue through the end of August. 

• Spoke with both Senators, our Congressman, and our Governor’s office about food access needs in our community.

• Created a survey to better understand the needs of all organizations as we re-enter.

• Developed a recovery and restoration plan for food service that will take the city through the end of August and developed a summer feed plan for children to assist with the gap of not having summer programs.  

• Developed a marketing plan so community members that have never had to receive services before Covid-19 and were laid off for two months would understand the resources that are available to them.    • Created a survey to better understand the needs of community members and neighborhoods as the Tri-State reenters from shut down 

 • Outlined the need for Food Coalition that will support the Food Security efforts and assure the ongoing work. 

 • Worked with State Government and advocated for the more efficient SNAP application process and food programming for community members.  

• Educated the public on sensitivity language and the common ground that all community members have with Food Security as well as explain what food security is and is not.  

• Worked with community partners and nonprofit to ensure the grocery delivery system is continued after the pandemic and that families in need can enter a food co-op and gain insight on food nutrition budgeting and other resources to ensure stability. 

• Feed Evansville Task Force has secured the Farm to Families program for the Evansville area. Evansville will start to receive 3,000 Diary Boxes and 3,000 Produce Box each week till the end of August. The boxes will be distributed to nonprofit agencies who will in return handed boxes out to their clients and guest as well as individual families through a truck to trunk event weekly.

Thank our community partners for assisting with this program Evansville Cold Storage, Old National Event Plaza, and CRS One Source.