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Last updated on Tuesday, December 2, 2014
(UNDATED) - Hoosier Hills Food Bank has distributed more food in 11 months of 2014 than it did in all of 2013
To date this year, Hoosier Hills Food Bank has provided 3,701,809 pounds of food, eclipsing 2013's total of 3,699,658 pounds. November marked the food bank's 32nd anniversary. And, with 442,511 pounds of food, November also marked the highest distribution month in the organization's history, with record numbers for three of the food bank's four mobile pantry sites and a record number of senior citizens who received food boxes.
Commodity food boxes, supplemented with fresh produce, were taken to more than 850 low-income seniors, including 190 in Monroe County. The Families First Mobile Pantry served nearly 700 households in Bedford, Mitchell, Orleans and Shoals.
"This year has been amazing," executive director Julio Alonso said in a news release. "We've now had the three highest months in our history during a single year. We've already broken our record. We're running 9 percent ahead of last year, and if that holds, we're likely to top 4 million pounds for the first time ever, and we're closing in on distributing over a million pounds of fresh produce."
Hoosier Hills' emphasis on distributing fresh produce has helped fuel higher distribution levels this year. In fresh produce this year, 985,499 pounds have been given out, an increase of 35 percent.
Records aside, the food bank will need donations of food and funds to get through the busy holiday season.
"We can't afford turkeys and hams, but we've got a lot of other good food out to our agencies and clients for Thanksgiving, and we're happy about that. I hope we can repeat it for Christmas, but we're definitely counting on a lot of support this month," Alonso added.
For more information, go to the organization's website at www.hhfoodbank.org.
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