More Than Eggs – Feeding Indy During COVID-19

“What we get to do is an honor. We get to get up every morning and we get to feed people,” says Tony Wesner, Chief Operating Officer at Rose Acre Farms.

Feeding people — it’s what farming is all about. So when the novel coronavirus turned the world of agriculture and food distribution upside down and the food insecure population ballooned overnight, we knew farmers would be able to step in and help.

Hatch for Hunger is known as the “egg people” and though Wesner describes it as the “perfect food” we knew people needed more.

Together with Shepherd Community Center a group of farmers came alongside HATCH to provide protein rich breakfast farm feasts. These healthy breakfasts have been delivered to thousands of families since the beginning of April.

Get to know the people and organizations who made this special food donation possible.

Fair Oaks Farms + Kroger: Whether it’s served in a glass or used to make the perfect scrambled eggs, milk is a staple for every family. Fair Oaks Farms in partnership with Kroger provided a gallon of milk to each family that came through the Shepherd pick-up line. Their family farm in Fair Oaks, Indiana is a destination for food and all those interested in learning about how it gets from farm to fork.

Indiana Pork Producers: Bacon is a breakfast staple. The sizzle, the mouth-watering smells and the crave-worthy flavor is a luxury many undernourished rarely enjoy. The Bacon Farmers of Indiana made sure families suffering had this ultimate comfort food and in partnership with the Indianapolis Indians shifted some of their bacon originally planned for a season-long partnership with the Indians to give the hurting people in Indianapolis something to smile about.

Gunthorp Farms: What’s a breakfast sandwich without sausage? A fourth generation family farm in LaGrange, Indiana made sure people had options and versatility in cooking their farm feasts. Hundreds of pounds of sausage made their way into the homes of families. In normal times, Gunthorp supplies high-end restaurants and retail stores in Indianapolis, Chicago and Detroit but diverted some of their supply to give people the opportunity to cook an upscale meal in their very own kitchens.

Harlan Bakeries: Friends with good carbs are great company to keep. Known for their premium bakery products (with their specialty being bagels), Harlan Bakeries in Indianapolis provided a half dozen bagels to each family that visited Shepherd for help. Committed to quality and community, the bagels were a simple way to give a family something that would turn a normal breakfast into a tasty feast.

MPS Egg Farms: Their family farm history goes back to the 1870s. The Strauss family has been feeding people for hundreds of years. One of the founding partners of HATCH, MPS Egg Farms helped HATCH reach foodbanks across Indiana as the need grew in recent months. Sam and Dan Krouse are the sixth generation to lead the business and continue to give both in their local community of North Manchester and across the state of Indiana.

Rose Acre Farms: Without the help of Rose Acre Farms, HATCH might have never gotten started. Their generosity continues to help feed people and made it possible for HATCH to provide the additional eggs needed both for the Shepherd Farm Feasts and across the state. The family-owned egg farm embodies what it means to give until it hurts. Their eggs continue to give many a high-quality protein on the breakfast table, even during hard times.

Want to help? Visit this page to join our flock and help connect farmers and their food with the folks who need it most.