The New Albany - Midtown Group Announces Food Co-op Training Schedule

CORYDON, Ind. - April 16, 2013 - PRLog -- The Midtown Collective, a group of collaborators that consists of Clean Socks Hope, Hope Southern Indiana (formerly Interfaith Community Council), Northside on Oak, St. John’s Presbyterian Church and Youth for Christ have announced Food Co-op Training for the Midtown neighborhood they serve. On Saturday April 20, 2013 at Northside on Oak (1423 E Oak St., New Albany, Indiana 47150) Nancy Yarnell from Food Security For America will be training facilitators and prospective members on the collaboration's Food Co-op Initiative. The day will open with a Continental Breakfast for attendees at 8:00 o'clock A.M. Training will then begin at 9:00 A.M. and space is limited so please contact Gina Combs at 812.542.4079 to register.

Brian Combs, Northside on Oak and Clean Socks Hope director Jeff Minton said in a joint statement that, "For 2013, we have some very complex and realistic goals on our collaborative to do list. First, to bring the Food Co-op model into our area. The food co-op is different than the traditional 'Food Pantry' because the patrons buy into it and run it themselves. We as a collective only facilitate a place and help with the initial setup. The families of the community run a 'Food with Dignity,' program instead the old Food Pantry model that creates voids in families without transportation and typically only allows access to meals a few times a year. The old model also tends to create a secretive network with folks trying to circumvent the food pantry regulations which are federally mandated. Our idea is pretty simple, join forces with our incredible Food Bank partner Dare To Care and let the folks in Midtown shop every other week like those without food insecurity does. The food co-op models allow enough food for the 2 week period instead of the basic necessities having to last a month or two. The idea is not new, flashy or progressive it's practical and it just makes good old-fashion sense."

The Midtown Food Co-op will meet every other week beginning in June. The Co-op members contribute a $5 membership fee and meet the truck as it arrives with approximately 1 ton of food, participating together to divide the food into boxes for one another. A medium-sized family typically receives more than $100 worth of food at each meeting.

Nancy Yarnell from Food Security For America stated via e-mail that, "The Food with Dignity model allows the co-op members to contribute to the well-being of their co-op, so that they have a sense of dignity and ownership. The Food co-ops creates community and provides food security, so that the members are not worrying about whether they will be eating at the end of each month."

Northside on Oak is an outreach ministry of Northside Christian Church. The Midtown Co-op will meet at their facility at 1423 E Oak St., in New Albany, Indiana 47150. Hope Southern Indiana will be the leader in facilitating and coordinating the food deliveries to the co-op.  

The Midtown Collective is a joint cooperative movement to work in unity with other like minded churches, community leaders and area nonprofits.

Those efforts came about due, in part, to the success of the October 7, 2012 Hope Summit event held at the Grand Theatre. The group believes that this is the beginning of a long-term journey of hope for the families of Southern Indiana.