Indiana Pork gives $5,000 ground pork donation

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Indiana Pork donated $5,000 worth of ground pork to a Vanderburgh County food pantry, which will provide thousands of protein-rich meals for local families facing food insecurity.

“Indiana’s pig farmers care deeply about their communities and are committed to giving back,” said Chad Martin, director of strategic outreach at Indiana Pork.

“Our farmers operate under the ‘We Care’ principles, where one of the pillars is community service. Our farmers take pride in serving the food insecure.

“We know how important access to nutritious, high-quality protein is, and we are proud to support the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry in serving families who need a helping hand.”

The donation was made possible through a partnership between Indiana Pork and the Certified Indiana Bred Program to reward youth excellence at the Indiana State Fair.

Top-performing participants in the 4-H Skillathon series were entered into a special drawing, where Casey Schillinger of Vanderburgh County was selected as the winner — earning the chance to direct $5,000 worth of ground pork to the local pantry of her choice.

“I chose to donate to St. Vincent de Paul because I know they serve so many people,” Schillinger said. “I would encourage other young people to give back because there are a lot of people facing food insecurity, and it’s important that we are part of the solution.”

Ashley Newell, executive director of the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, said the donation is an answered prayer.

“Last year we served over 31,000 individuals, which is equal to more than 340 tons of food,” Newell said. “We are seeing a 20% increase in the need over last year. The ground pork donation is a four-month supply that helps us provide a nutritious addition to their grocery bag.”

The St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry is open four days a week and accepts food and cash donations to support the families it serves.