Journalism school holds community food drive

The typical cookouts and picnics of summer seem plentiful enough to leave no one hungry, but still, there are still many people left without food.\nThe needs of the summer are the very reason that some of the IU faculty and staff are drawing attention to the Community Kitchen of Monroe County. For the third year, Grace Carpenter, a receptionist in the IU School of Journalism, is spearheading a drive for donations. Carpenter said she hopes people will provide several hundred dollars worth of non-perishable goods and cash donations before the June 13 deadline.\n"Summer is a time when people don't think of food and money donations to the Kitchen," Carpenter said.\nThe population of visitors to the Kitchen rises with the summertime heat. Julio Alonso, executive director of the Kitchen, said they served a record 18,000 meals during July 2002.\n"It's our most challenging time of year," Alonso said. "June, July and August are our busiest months. Expenses go up and funding goes down." \nAlonso said he encourages any individual or organization to help.\n"We mostly depend on private donations," Alonso said. \nHe said many donations such as this food drive provide a substantial part of the Kitchen's resources. \nCarpenter attributes her motivation to run the drive to journalism professor Paul Voakes. \n"People have needs, and Paul goes every week to volunteer at the Kitchen," Carpenter said. "I admire him so much. I've been homeless and know what its like."\nEven though Carpenter is quick to credit Voakes for his positive influence, he insists the idea for the food drive was hers. \nVoakes describes his addiction to serving his neighbors. He said when he misses his shift at the Kitchen, he misses seeing his friends -- the staff, volunteers and visitors. \n"I gain a lot from Bloomington and feel an obligation to give back," he said. \nHe described his service as a way to keep in touch with reality and maintain a fresh perspective about life.\nCarpenter, Voakes and Alonso pointed out that the working poor are struggling. Carpenter said many people work multiple jobs, sell their homemade items and barter their labor to make ends meet but still don't have enough money for food.\nThe Kitchen's patrons "wear the uniforms of maid services, fast food restaurants, supermarkets and many other local businesses," Voakes said. Some are senior citizens with only Social Security as their source of income, he said.\nThis is an urgent time of the year for the Kitchen in general, but Alonso said he worries about the community's children. More than 3,000 students get reduced or free lunch, and the Kitchen only feeds about 200 school-age children during the summer. He said he thinks if the children might be missing a meal, the community should make sure the children are fed.\nThe Kitchen is currently launching its summer breakfast program for the sixth year. Bagged meals are delivered to six locations for distribution to children of low-income families. As an example of the Kitchen's needs, more than 1,000 box drinks per week are used for the summertime children's program. \nAlthough the Kitchen provides meals with no questions asked, Alonso said he believes that almost all of those served live in Bloomington.\nIf you are interested in donating food or money, contact Grace Carpenter at 855-9247 or bring donations to Ernie Pyle Hall, Room 200.\nContact the Community Kitchen at 332-0999. The Kitchen has two locations -- 917 S. Rogers St., and Community Kitchen Express, 1100 W. 11th St.