Hamilton County may be a very affluent area overall, but there are many families struggling to make ends meet, and several local groups have come together so school children will receive food during the summer vacation time.

Hamilton County Kroger stores. along with the police and sheriff departments, are partnering with countywide Summer Lunch programs that will provide 75,000 meals to over 1,400 children for the ten weeks of summer vacation.

There are programs designed to serve children most in need throughout the county who would typically receive free or reduced lunches throughout the school year. Summer Lunch programs in Hamilton County are dependent on the local community for support, since most of our communities do not meet federal or statewide Summer Lunch funding criteria. These lunch programs, led by a group of local volunteers, have stepped in to fill the gap for those in need.

The Pack the Cruiser Food Drive was piloted in 2017 in Fishers to help jump-start food contributions. Last year, Fishers filled eleven cruisers from three stores. This year, nine Kroger stores will be matched with five Hamilton County city police departments and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, to help the Summer Lunch programs in each of the six public school communities across the county.

Police officers and sheriffs will be at the stores on June 2nd with lists of the specific items that each of the programs need. Kroger Gift cards are very welcome also as this enables programs to purchase healthy fruits and vegetables and protein throughout the summer. Please help by donating the items from the list and Packing the Cruisers!

Hamilton County Harvest Food Bank works closely with the Summer Lunch programs year-round and is proud to be a partner of Pack the Cruiser 2018. This is the sixth year of monetary and food support for the Summer Lunch programs of Hamilton County. For more information; please see HCHFoodBank.org or contact Anita Hagen at hamiltoncountyharvest@gmail.com.