By Dan Domsic
Fall Creek Township is trying to stem hunger in the area, as well as in the surrounding areas, but it can always use the public’s help.
Stacy Puls, Fall Creek’s deputy trustee, maintains a food pantry at the township’s offices located at Brooks School Road and 116th Street. The pantry itself is in the Town of Fishers Parks and Recreation Dept.’s building, located in the same area and is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“Surprisingly enough, since we do hear quite a bit that we live in an affluent area, there are families that aren’t so affluent,” Puls said. “A lot of them either don’t qualify for food stamps or qualify for a small amount of food stamps, so they heavily rely on food pantries to kind of fill that need and stretch their dollar.”
She said the majority of the pantry’s patrons come from Fall Creek Township, but occasionally residents of the northern fringes of Marion County or from neighboring Delaware Township come in.
About 10 people on average use the pantry on a weekly basis, she said.
Simple, minimal paperwork, mostly for Fall Creek’s reporting needs, is required when someone wants to use the pantry, Puls said.
The top three needs at at the Fall Creek Township food pantry are peanut butter, canned meats and cereal/and or oats. Boxed food items are also in demand. Other items that go fast include personal hygiene items and laundry needs, as those items are expensive in stores, Puls said.
A dropbox is located in the office’s lobby and is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to accept donations Monday through Friday. Puls said the township was willing to pick up large donations, as well.
Items are moved up by expiration date, and food items approaching expiration are moved to another local pantry so nothing goes to waste, according to Puls.
For more information on the township office, visit www.fallcreektownship.info.