This is Second Harvest Food Bank's 25th anniversary year. In our history we have distributed nearly 42 million pounds of food through pantries, kitchens, shelters, other programs and direct service to assist low-income residents of eight counties in East Central Indiana. Nearly 20 million pounds have been distributed in the past five years. We average a 17-percent growth in distribution each year. Our goal is to distribute 11 million pounds of food a year to end hunger for the 49,000 people living in poverty in this region. During the first four months of 2008, we provided 1,240,178 pounds of food and products for Blackford, Delaware, Grant, Henry, Jay, Madison, Randolph and Wabash counties. This would be equivalent to nearly 71/2 full semi-trailer loads of food provided to Delaware County in four months, 11 to Madison County, and four to Grant County. Just over two semi-trailer loads to Henry and Wabash counties and over one each to Blackford, Jay and Randolph counties. We are on target for reaching our distribution goal of 4 million pounds this year -- very good news for the 63,900 people visiting food assistance pantries and programs in our eight counties each year.

Anne Muterspaugh lives in Delaware County. She is a retired Muncie school teacher. Anne and husband Earl have been active with Second Harvest as board members. Anne is a member of our board of directors. Anne and Earl also coordinate the food pantry at Friends Memorial Church. Before being on the board, Anne had a leadership role in Tips for Hunger, an event that raised money for Second Harvest Food Bank. Tips ran for 10 years and raised $10,000 the last year of the event. Anne worked with First Presbyterian Church to transform Tips into an ice cream social to benefit Second Harvest.

The missions group at First Presbyterian Church has been involved in raising money for Second Harvest and awareness of hunger issues for many years. The church supported Tips for Hunger, which was conducted at the church for many years and then went on to do the ice cream social. This year, they are planning a different event that will benefit Second Harvest.

Lois Altman Ed.D., C.E.C., C.C.E. is associate professor and director of the hospitality and food management program in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at Ball State University. She volunteers at Harvest Soup Kitchen and has worked with Second Harvest on student projects. She has written a creative cookbook for soup kitchens that will be made available nationwide. The cookbook is a guide to maximizing the charities' resources. She continues to work with Second Harvest to help food assistance programs with ideas for utilizing the product we have available.

-- Nominated by Lois Rockhill