Urban Times pt. 1 - Second Helpings does what it says it will do

Submitted April 12, 2010 by Ben Shine | 0 comments

Feeding people in need, while preparing people for jobs in the kitchen

Seemed like a good idea at the time. In 1998, three local chefs who knew how much food ended up in the garbage every night believed they could use that food to feed hungry children and adults – and at the same time training unemployed or underemployed adults for meaningful careers in the culinary industry.

They were wrong. Creating Second Helpings wasn’t a good idea.

It was a great idea.

This year, Second Helpings will serve its five millionth meal to area agencies. It will graduate its 400th student from the Culinary Training Program. It will send its seven millionth pound of food back into area food pantries.

Last year, the list of local agencies receiving meals through the Second Helpings programs was staggering. Sixty-six agencies were involved – 38 of which received more than 5,000 meals. Second Helpings prepared 72,505 meals for Lighthouse Mission, 47,095 for Wheeler Mission, and 31,958 for the Dayspring Center (an organ-ization headquartered in The Old Northside which provides emergency shelter, clothing, and meals for homeless families with children).

Said Lori Casson, Dayspring’s executive director, “Partnering with Second Helpings allows us to put funds toward our mission so that we can concentrate on getting people from homelessness to self-sufficiency.”

While the Second Helpings impact upon the Central Indiana community has been significant, the 12-year journey has not been without potholes. In November 2008, for example, the organization closed its catering operation. But the peaks have far outnumbered the valleys, and the economic crisis has placed greater demands on Second Helpings. More meals need to be prepared; equipment needs to be upgraded or replaced; more people want training.

Cynthia Hubert, chief executive officer of Second Helpings, said the board of directors, staff and volunteers are all looking at how the organization can sustain growth, while ensuring the sustainability of the organization itself.

“We look at it twofold,” she said – “how the facility and funding opportunities allow us to continue to grow, and at the sametime keep us here doing what we do, day in day out.”

Hubert said one challenge is a changing demographic. As the “Baby Boomer” generation ages, the need will increase. But the need is also growing among much younger people. “We continue to serve lot of children,” Hubert said. “How do we ensure they’re getting the right kinds of food that’s palatable to them?” She said the organization also needs to educate people “that it’s important to eat the fruit and eat the vegetables – not look for the hollow calories in chips and other things.”

To read the rest of the article, and see parts 2 and 3, visit: http://www.urbantimesonline.com/?p=1307

 

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