After 28 Years, Secrists Hope To Hand Off Food Bank Duties
September 16, 2016 at 11:11 p.m.
By Dan [email protected]
After 28 years, Mary and Jerry Secrist’s Helping Hands food pantry continues to stay busy and regularly sees new faces seeking assistance.
The pantry serves people who live in the Tippecanoe Schools district and accommodates nearly 200 families a month.
Every week, the couple makes a trek to the Food Bank of Northern Indiana and brings back a trailer full of food, and every week for two hours on Thursday, they distribute food to about 40 or 50 families.
But Jerry said that, eventually, things are going to have to change.
The couple suffered injuries a year ago when they were involved in a traffic accident along U.S. 30 while transporting about 4,000 pounds of food from South Bend. Jerry suffered a severe ankle injury and just started walking better last month. Mary has lingering neck problems.
The pantry has 10 volunteers who help on Thursdays and have become more important in recent years, said Jerry, who is 79.
He said he doesn’t have a timeframe or anyone in mind, but eventually, he and Mary will have to step aside.
“I’m looking for somebody to take this over,” Jerry said matter of factly.
On Sunday, from 2 to 5 p.m., the Secrists will host an open house and food drive at the facility at 10072 W. CR 600S, Mentone.
While the open house could be a chance for somebody to inquire about running the operation, it is more likely another way for the pantry to gear up for another holiday season, Jerry said.
Finding somebody to replace the Secrists will be challenging, according to Jaime Owen, the agency relations manager for the Food Bank of Northern Indiana who said she learned of Jerry’s plans recently.
“It is daunting. The thought of Mary and Jerry retiring scares me to death. They’re a valuable partner with us,” Owen said .
The couple is known for being generous, organized and running a clean operation, she said.
“Out of the 200 food panties, soup kitchens and shelters we work with, they’re probably one of the best,” Owen said.
The pantry’s future might appear to be uncertain, but the demand is clear.
Government statistics indicate poverty and hunger is more prevalent in rural areas where those households are increasingly headed by single mothers.
Rural areas also tend to have greater unemployment and underemployment compared to urban areas and are hamstrung by fewer services and transportation options.
The pantry is run out of a large pole building owned by Secrist. Aisles of food are marked with hand-written descriptions and quantity limits.
The building’s storage includes eight freezers and almost as many refrigerators.
Those seekings assistance at Helping Hands are young and old. There are singles, couples and the pantry serves numerous big households with as many as nine people.
For some, reliance on the pantry is a longstanding part of their lives.
“We’ve had three and four generations come in. It’s all they know,” said Mary.
Mary said she considers many of the customers friends and enjoys the small talk and updates on their lives.
“She reaches more people than a preacher,” Jerry said of her work.
He says there has not been much of a drop off in need in the eight years since the Great Recession.
“We stay steady all the time,” Jerry said on Thursday afternoon as clients shopped for items with small, traditional shopping carts.
“I hauled in 3,000 pounds this morning and we’ll take out 4,000,” he said as the pantry buzzed with activity.
The Secrists used to open the pantry late at night if they received an urgent call, but ceased that practice for safety reasons.
The pantry is not affiliated with any churches and pledges to serve anyone at least once regardless of where they live.
They know there is probably some abuse in the system and suspect some families use multiple pantries to make ends meet.
But that reality is mixed with a sense of understanding.
“If I were hungry, I might do the same thing,” Mary said.
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After 28 years, Mary and Jerry Secrist’s Helping Hands food pantry continues to stay busy and regularly sees new faces seeking assistance.
The pantry serves people who live in the Tippecanoe Schools district and accommodates nearly 200 families a month.
Every week, the couple makes a trek to the Food Bank of Northern Indiana and brings back a trailer full of food, and every week for two hours on Thursday, they distribute food to about 40 or 50 families.
But Jerry said that, eventually, things are going to have to change.
The couple suffered injuries a year ago when they were involved in a traffic accident along U.S. 30 while transporting about 4,000 pounds of food from South Bend. Jerry suffered a severe ankle injury and just started walking better last month. Mary has lingering neck problems.
The pantry has 10 volunteers who help on Thursdays and have become more important in recent years, said Jerry, who is 79.
He said he doesn’t have a timeframe or anyone in mind, but eventually, he and Mary will have to step aside.
“I’m looking for somebody to take this over,” Jerry said matter of factly.
On Sunday, from 2 to 5 p.m., the Secrists will host an open house and food drive at the facility at 10072 W. CR 600S, Mentone.
While the open house could be a chance for somebody to inquire about running the operation, it is more likely another way for the pantry to gear up for another holiday season, Jerry said.
Finding somebody to replace the Secrists will be challenging, according to Jaime Owen, the agency relations manager for the Food Bank of Northern Indiana who said she learned of Jerry’s plans recently.
“It is daunting. The thought of Mary and Jerry retiring scares me to death. They’re a valuable partner with us,” Owen said .
The couple is known for being generous, organized and running a clean operation, she said.
“Out of the 200 food panties, soup kitchens and shelters we work with, they’re probably one of the best,” Owen said.
The pantry’s future might appear to be uncertain, but the demand is clear.
Government statistics indicate poverty and hunger is more prevalent in rural areas where those households are increasingly headed by single mothers.
Rural areas also tend to have greater unemployment and underemployment compared to urban areas and are hamstrung by fewer services and transportation options.
The pantry is run out of a large pole building owned by Secrist. Aisles of food are marked with hand-written descriptions and quantity limits.
The building’s storage includes eight freezers and almost as many refrigerators.
Those seekings assistance at Helping Hands are young and old. There are singles, couples and the pantry serves numerous big households with as many as nine people.
For some, reliance on the pantry is a longstanding part of their lives.
“We’ve had three and four generations come in. It’s all they know,” said Mary.
Mary said she considers many of the customers friends and enjoys the small talk and updates on their lives.
“She reaches more people than a preacher,” Jerry said of her work.
He says there has not been much of a drop off in need in the eight years since the Great Recession.
“We stay steady all the time,” Jerry said on Thursday afternoon as clients shopped for items with small, traditional shopping carts.
“I hauled in 3,000 pounds this morning and we’ll take out 4,000,” he said as the pantry buzzed with activity.
The Secrists used to open the pantry late at night if they received an urgent call, but ceased that practice for safety reasons.
The pantry is not affiliated with any churches and pledges to serve anyone at least once regardless of where they live.
They know there is probably some abuse in the system and suspect some families use multiple pantries to make ends meet.
But that reality is mixed with a sense of understanding.
“If I were hungry, I might do the same thing,” Mary said.
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