Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
The Health First Kosciusko Advisory Committee approved a number of initiatives helping feed the hungry in the county.
At its meeting on Wednesday, the committee heard a $48,878.20 funding request from Purdue Extension Kosciusko County Nutrition Education Program Community Wellness Coordinator Caroline Arnett. She heads the Kosciusko County Food Security Coalition.
Arnett noted the number of those battling food insecurity locally had increased over the last few years. For 2021, those considered food insecure in Kosciusko County were 9% of the total population, with that rising to 13.9% in 2023.
"That's around 11,000 people in Kosciusko County that are registering as food insecure," said Arnett.
She brought up several initiatives to remedy the problem, including hiring a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) coordinator.
"This would be a contract position held with Live Well Kosciusko for 10 hours a week where this person could go both to local health fairs and educate people about SNAP and then go into our local rural communities and actually sign people up for (SNAP)," said Arnett.
Another initiative she requested funding for was Double Up Food Bucks.
She said those using Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits, SNAP benefits or senior benefits would get their money doubled to buy fresh produce from farmers markets.
The third program Arnett referenced would provide fruits and vegetables for 16 weeks and eight weeks of education for those dealing with cancer, heart problems, diabetes and more. It would be through Live Well Kosciusko.
A fourth program would purchase and process local swine and steer meat for distribution at food pantries, with there also being education about nutrition.
The committee approved Arnett's total request. It, like other funding measures approved at Wednesday's meeting using Health First funds allocated to the county from the state, must also be OK'd by the Kosciusko County Board of Health and Kosciusko County Commissioners.
In other business, the committee:
• Approved recommending to the Board of Health and commissioners that $4,860 be given to 1Eighty Digital for social media marketing of the Kosciusko County Health Department's prenatal care program.
• Approved recommending to the Board of Health and commissioners that Fellowship Missions and Wawasee Community School Corp. be reimbursed $2,087 and $13,626 respectively for automated external defibrillators and supplies they purchased.
• Approved recommending to the Board of Health and commissioners that over $6,000 be used to purchase stop the bleed kits for area schools.
• Tabled a decision on providing monies for a Kosciusko County Clubhouse for people with mental health needs as it would cost $140,725 and the committee is still unsure of its future funding.
• Heard that Renee LaRue has been hired as an assistant for the Health First program.
The committee's next meeting is 6 p.m. June 25 in the Kosciusko County Courthouse's Old Courtroom.
