Rep. Houchin visits Hope Southern Indiana to learn about the organization

Erik Hackman, The Evening News and the Tribune, Jeffersonville, Ind.
·2 min read

Feb. 14—NEW ALBANY — U.S. Rep. Erin Houchin visited Hope Southern Indiana on Tuesday to learn about how the organization serves Floyd County.

On top of learning how Hope Southern Indiana serves Floyd County, she also heard about some of the needs of the nonprofit following the pandemic.

During the meeting, Houchins, R-Indiana, also addressed future needs with Hope Southern Indiana officials and how the congresswoman may be able to help.

Hope Southern Indiana has seen an increase in clients and has had some troubles getting the necessary items for those they serve due to inflation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cutting back food donations.

"We're all feeling inflation right now," Houchin said. "When I go to the grocery store and I see how much costs have gone up and it has a rippling effect in the whole system."

A study by the Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute released Tuesday found that 479,913 households and 1.8 million people in Indiana are below the Self-Sufficiency Standard. This standard is a realistic, geographically specific and family composition specific measure of income adequacy, and thus a more accurate alternative to the official poverty measure.

"Dare to Care is running out of food as well," said Angela Graf, Hope Southern Indiana's executive director. "Some pantries have had to close their doors completely, which puts the burden more on other pantries."

Graf added that Hope Southern Indiana will not turn away anyone who comes to them for food, even if it is their second time coming to them for food in one day. If they do not have any food from Dare to Care or the USDA, they will use the food that Hope Southern Indiana has gathered.

Not only will the USDA have major cutbacks, but the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will have cutbacks as well, Graf said.

"They're going to see major cutbacks, in the billions of dollars for the farmers," Graf said. "They've already been cut for Indiana, but there's 20 more states that are (cutting back) in March."

After the meeting, Houchin toured the facility and said she was impressed with the overall operation, the reach and the partnerships the nonprofit has with the churches in the area.

"The meeting provided good insights into things we may be able to do that would help Hope Southern Indiana continue their mission," Houchin said. "Reducing burdensome regulations, advocating for their program and programs like theirs in Washington, D.C. and providing a resource for their clients who may have difficulty with federal government agencies or programs, particularly our veterans are just some of the ways we can be helpful to Hope Southern Indiana and their clients."