Ever since Kathy Jackson survived breast cancer four years ago, she’s wanted to help others in any way she can.

Most of her generosity has benefited the American Cancer Society, such as the community Relays for Life the organization conducts. When she heard about area food pantries needing supplies, she decided to use her new position as marketing director for Bowl West to assist them.

Bowl West, which includes Brownsburg Bowl, Country Lanes in Avon, and Sunset Bowl in Indianapolis, is offering coupons for free bowling games in exchange for five or more non-perishable food items such as canned fruits and vegetables and peanut butter. Donations may be left in wrapped boxes found at the entrance to each bowling center through Dec. 20.

“It’s the communities that keep these bowling centers going,” Jackson said. “It’s important for us to give back.”

Jackson was inspired to start the food drive after talking with Susan Jones, the secretary at Danville’s Northview Christian Church. Jones told her of the “desperate” need local pantries have for donations.

“No one should ever be desperate for food,” Jackson said. “There should never be a need.”

But there is. Mindy Duckett, who coordinates the Shared Blessings food pantry at Danville United Methodist Church, says demand there has been high.

“We’ve been serving between 20 and 30 families a week,” she said.

While Shared Blessings is housed at Danville United Methodist, there are several area churches who regularly contribute food and volunteers for it. Northview Christian recently had a “Bags of Hunger” food drive, where members were given paper bags and asked to fill them with products selected from a menu. The church took two truckloads of food to local pantries around Thanksgiving.

Since Shared Blessings has been open less than two years, Duckett says it’s tough to say how much of a need is out there.

“But we see new families all the time,” she said. “So I know the need is growing just for that reason.”

Given the season, it’s not uncommon for charitable organizations to receive a lot of donations this time of year. But the deprivation isn’t just restricted to now. That’s why Jackson wants not only to make Bowl West’s food drive an annual event, but something that can be ongoing.

“It’s not just this time of year when pantries run low, so I’m hoping to help them whenever they need it,” she said.

One group is already doing that. Brownsburg’s Tracey Snapp started the Share the Spirit Neighborhood Food Drive Network a couple of years ago.

Having two young children, she said, “I wanted to teach them about giving instead of just getting.”

So she organized a food drive in her neighborhood and donated the offerings to Cornerstone Christian Church. She did the same thing the next year with Messiah Lutheran. After she learned more contributions were needed year-round, Snapp asked friends to start food drives in their neighborhoods.

“We wanted to have 12 neighborhoods split between two pantries in Brownsburg,” Snapp said. “But within two weeks we had 15 neighborhoods, and within a month we had 24.”

So instead of aspiring to have one food drive a month and donating to each pantry every other month, Share the Spirit now has 46 neighborhoods in Brownsburg and two to six active food drives a month.

Word-of-mouth has helped spread the network to Avon, where 10 neighborhoods are participating. Plainfield’s Saratoga community is now helping, and Snapp, along with Donna Prichard and Valerie Moore, plan to get Danville involved early next year.

“We take large or small neighborhoods, it doesn’t matter,” Snapp said. “It’s for anyone willing to help. Food pantries are so stressed right now that anything helps.”

The concept is simple. Share the Spirit prints flyers describing the food drive. One resident in each neighborhood serves as the messenger. Those participating leave their donations on their front porches, and network volunteers go around collecting. And with so many on board now, a particular vicinity can contribute only once a year yet still make a difference.

“The process only takes two to three hours,” Snapp said. “Every person who’s participated has enjoyed it. No one’s ever said they don’t want to do it again.”

Each town’s donations go to their respective pantries too.

“You feel like you’re helping your neighbors that way,” Snapp said.

For more information on Bowl West’s food drive, call 858-0038 or visit the website at www.bowlwest.net. Donations to Shared Blessings may be dropped off between the hours of 6 and 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays. For more information on the Share the Spirit Neighborhood Food Drive Network, visit the website at www.sharethespiritfooddrive.com.



wade.coggeshall@flyergroup.com