Duke Energy employees helped organize and restock the shelves at The Center for Lay Ministries to help the organization easily give food to those who need it. Photo by Erik Hackman | News and Tribune
JEFFERSONVLLE — In 2023, The Center for Lay Ministries provided food to 15,438 households, and the organization is already catching up to that number this year.
Between Jan. 1 and Nov. 15, Lay Ministries has served 15,112 households. New households have accounted for 1,325 of that total.
The center has seen an increase in food insecurity in Southern Indiana over the past few years. It used to only serve around 12-15 clients a day, but now it sees at least 30 clients daily.
With the increase of visitors, it has been a struggle to get food out to the clients who come to visit the center.
“We are always in need of donations… we depend on community support,” said Kara Brown, executive director of The Center for Lay Ministries.
They are a Dare to Care partner, but the organization only contributes to about half of their needs for the food bank, Brown added. The center still depends on churches, individuals, organizations and others to donate food.
Based on what Brown has gathered from visitors, the biggest factor that has led to the increase are major changes happening in their lives. This could be from medical expenses going too high, overtime being cut and other challenges.
“Last week we had a gentleman who said, ‘I never thought I’d be at a food pantry in my life,’” Brown said.
Another person Brown spoke with was a woman with cancer who had never been to a food pantry before. She had been facing obstacles and needed help feeding her children because she cannot work at the moment.
To help with food insecurity in the region, the Duke Energy Foundation awarded The Center for Lay Ministries a grant for $5,000. On top of that, Duke employees came to help unload food donations and pack food boxes at the center on Monday.
“It’s important for us to give back to the community that we serve,” said Lisa Huber, government and community relations manager for the Duke Energy Foundation. “There’s so many great organizations and nonprofits in the community like The Center for Lay Ministries that are supporting people who are in need.”
Donating and volunteering are among the ways that Duke Energy helps make a difference in the unmet needs in the community, Huber added.
The center is also holding its first holiday raffle to help raise money for the organization. This money will go to its general fund so they can keep the food pantry and the Bliss House operational.
Tickets are $20 each and the 1st Prize is $2,000 and the 2nd Prize is $500. The drawing will be Dec. 10. People can buy tickets in person at the food pantry, by mail or on Venmo @CenterforLayMinistries.
“If we hit our goal, we would raise at least $12,500,” Brown said. “It comes back to the center… It just benefits Center for Lay Ministries in whatever way is needed at the time.”
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