A gift from the Ball Brothers Foundation is helping a local food bank get closer to meeting its campaign goal.
The organization donated $100,000 to the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana earlier this week. The food bank's goal to raise $4 million began in 2007 as part of its Move Campaign, according to a press release.
"The award was certainly very, very well received," Lois Rockhill, executive director of Second Harvest said. "We were so excited here."
Once the food bank reaches its goal, it will be eligible to receive $400,000 from the Kresge Foundation, a private non-profit organization that works to fund community efforts, according to its Web site.
Rockhill said it's important to bring this money into the area.
"The grant, in particular, is important right now to get us resituated and to have more space," Rockhill said. "We're well on our way to finishing [the campaign] up."
Funds raised early in the campaign made it possible for Second Harvest to move from Anderson to Muncie, Rockhill said. The Ball Brothers Foundation also contributed to the campaign in its early stages, giving the food bank $300,000.
The group is still renovating its Muncie location, focusing on office and meeting spaces. Rockhill said. Until the renovations are finished, Second Harvest is operating out of construction trailers inside of its warehouse.
Since moving to Muncie, the economic status of Indiana has caused an increased need for food assistance, growing by 30 to 50 percent, according to a press release.
Second Harvest serves about 130 charity organizations from eight Indiana counties giving away 5 million pounds of food annually, Rockhill said. Hundreds of Ball State University students volunteer at Second Harvest, she added.
"We just have a wonderful relationship with Ball State," she said.
For a complete list of area food banks, or for more information about Second Harvest, visit the Web site curehunger.org/.
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