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Hanover College student helping people in need with food box project

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A Hanover College student is working with an Indianapolis church on a project to help people in need of food and household items.

Sierra Nuckols launched the “Community Food Box Project” this summer. She said she was inspired to give back after a trip to South Africa and learning about “The Little Free Pantry” movement in Arkansas.

She told 24-Hour News 8 she wanted to start a similar movement in Indianapolis and just over the weekend the group installed five boxes.

The boxes are set up at different locations on the north and east side of Indianapolis.

“This box is on the street where I grew up so it’s good see that I can give back to the community that gave to me,” said Nuckols.

Nuckols came up with the idea to use an old newspaper box to store house hold items and food. The idea is for people to take what they need and share what they can.

“A lot of families have been fed with the items in the boxes it feels good to see so many people donating as well,” she said.

Each box comes in different designs.

“These last five boxes were painted by prisoners at the Pendleton Correctional Facility. They’re all artists so they got the chance to paint them,” she said.

The prisoners are part of an outreach program. The Star Wars themed box went out to Praise and Worship Ministries on East 10th Street over the weekend.

“There’s cereal, there’s baby food, there’s canned good, there’s snacks, cookies popcorn anything that we can fit in there,” said Sacha Fuller, who is part of the congregation.

Fuller said it won’t take long for people to pick up on the concept of the box.

“I think that once the word is out there and they see the box and understand what the concept is they’ll be happy with it,” she said.”

Fuller said she checked the box today to restock. The pastor of the church is hoping that people will know that help is never too far away.

“This community needs so much and I think this box again is going to be a sign to those that are in need that there’s a place where help is,” said Mark Maxwell, who is a pastor of Praise and Worship Ministries.

Nuckols said she’s planning to install more boxes in the next couple of weeks.

The boxes are currently installed at five locations listed below. You can drop off food donations at any of the locations.

  1. Bread of Life Church at 725 E. 27th St. 
  2. Amber Woods Apartments at 10119 John Marshall Dr.
  3. Emerson Ave. Church at 308 N. Emerson Ave.
  4. Praise and Worship Ministries at 4102 E. 10th St.
  5. Jerusalem Temple Apostolic at 2125 E. 54th St.

Click here if you would like to get involved with the food box project.