The Wabash County Health Department is working to help meet local food needs through a community food drive supporting the county’s Blessing Boxes.
At Wednesday’s Wabash County Board of Health meeting, Health Educator Tristan Barbre said students across local schools are currently collecting nonperishable food items to fill the blessing boxes ahead of the holidays. Barbre said each school has a collection box, and the department’s prevention division will distribute the donations to several blessing box locations in Mt. Carmel.
Barbre explained that the blessing boxes are available 24 hours a day for anyone in need, and the effort comes in response to a noticeable increase in food insecurity following SNAP benefit reductions earlier this year.
She added that the Health Department has also updated information on local food pantry schedules and is partnering with community organizations to make that information more accessible to residents.
Barbre said the goal is simple — to keep the blessing boxes full and ensure families in need have access to food throughout the winter season.