INDIANAPOLIS — Food banks and pantries are working overtime to fill the need this holiday season. This year has put many people in tough situations, needing to utilize food pantries for the first time to feed their families.
“No Questions Asked Food Pantry” is just what it sounds like. A grassroots food pantry that serves groceries, hot meals and hygiene & cleaning supplies to anyone in need — no questions asked.
“Just this much foods worth is what we would constantly have,” says Amber Toombs, as she shows us around the pantry. “So it’s just grown.”
And that’s a good thing the “No Questions Asked Food Pantry” based out of the Church Within in Fountain Square has grown, because, the need has also grown, too.
“The need during the pandemic has just gone up exponentially,” says Toombs. “Like the number of people when we first started out that we used to serve in like a month we now serve in like a day.”
The pantry is open Monday, Thursday and Saturdays 12-2pm. What’s different about them is they don’t require any photo ID or proof of address to receive items.
“Food is a basic human right,” she says. “When the government decides not to provide for the people, it is up to the people to provide. And we are here to do that.”
Car after car lined up on Monday. The pantry says they solely rely on volunteers and donations to do what they do.
“We rely heavily on folks just giving out of the kindness of their heart,” says Toombs. “So a lot of what you see behind us as far as food is direct giving. We have a Venmo, PayPal, cash app set up, where solely the money goes directly to the needs being filled.”
With more people out of work, in tough positions this year, the pantry manager says, the need is greater than ever.
“It’s hard to see but the community around me and around this pantry the build us up is just so inspiring. And it gives me and others the drive to do more and be more for the community.”
For more information about the pantry, click here. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050d4ba4a62ba5ff2-volunteer
