On the morning of Monday, August 5, Operation Feed LaPorte County held a food drive at the La Porte County Fairgrounds. Representatives from local food pantries run by organizations like Saint Vincent De Paul, Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, and Eternal K9 Dog Training, assembled in the Fairgrounds’ Community Building to pick from an array of non-perishable foods and toiletry supplies. Volunteers from organizations like CompressAir, Purdue Extension – LaPorte County, and the LaPorte County Farm Bureau Insurance helped load non-perishables and other supplies into the representatives’ vehicles. More volunteers then supplied representatives their choice of donated meat from a freezer trailer parked outside of the building.
Operation Feed La Porte County was established by Catherine Mrozinski, a senior credit analyst at 1st Source Bank and now president of Operation Feed LaPorte County in 2013. It operated as an unofficial organization for about seven years before becoming official in 2020. Earlier this year, Operation Feed LaPorte County received its 501(c)(3) status, making it a tax-exempt charitable organization. Catherine Mrozinski is always on the lookout for new ways to support local food pantries.
“I come from a family who believes you should go ahead and help if you are willing and able to do so,” Catherine Mrozinski said. “I think everyone who has helped support Operation Feed LaPorte County shares that belief. It’s impossible to thank the volunteers who came out today enough. We have so many amazing businesses and organizations that come together to help address the needs that we have in our community. Every single donation counts. We are so excited to be able to cater to each food pantry’s individual needs. We’re in a unique position to support all food pantries, whether they receive USDA funding or not. There’s a place for everyone and every organization here. The goal is to help the community however we can.”
This year, about 8,000 pounds of meat were donated to Operation Feed LaPorte County. Each food pantry selected its desired amount of meat, choosing from ground beef, ground pork, ground lamb, pulled chicken, pulled turkey, and ground goat. CompressAir, the La Porte County Fair Board and 1st Source Bank were some of the organizations that donated money for the purchase and processing of the 4-H animal meat. Mark Parkman, president of the LaPorte County Farm Bureau and an Operation Feed LaPorte County board member, is dedicated to helping the organization reach its fullest potential.
“The LaPorte County Farm Bureau has been involved with Operation Feed LaPorte County for about three years now and my wife and I have been involved for the past four,” Parkman said. “The LaPorte County Farm Bureau is primarily involved with funding the drive’s meat supply and their involvement has really helped get this program on the community’s radar. In this day and age, we tend to help our neighbors much less than we should. We’ve all known somebody who was in need of a helping hand and some of us have even been in that situation ourselves. You get a really good feeling when you reach out to give others a helping hand. Our goal is to do everything we can to make sure that no one goes without a meal. That’s what it’s all about.
About 7,000 pounds of non-perishables were donated to Operation Feed LaPorte County this year. Ketchup, pasta sauce, soup, canned fruits and vegetables, cereal, soap, and mouthwash were all on offer. Locally grown produce was also made available. Steve Mrozinski, president of the LaPorte County Fair board, is optimistic that Operation: Feed LaPorte County’s will continue to grow and thrive each year.
“We’ve had more food pantries come out this year, so the word about Operation Feed LaPorte County is definitely spreading,” Steve Mrozinski said. “We’re in our third year and it’s only been getting bigger and bigger. We haven’t received any negative feedback about the program, so it seems like they appreciate it and are happy with what we’re doing here. Organizations like the LaPorte County Farm Bureau Insurance and CompressAir helped start Operation Feed LaPorte County and Catherine Mrozinski has done a fabulous job managing it. I’ve enjoyed helping out here today and it’s been amazing to see all of the volunteers working together.”
Weston Frazier, a 4-H participant who raised several of the pigs and lambs that were distributed at the drive, appreciates the opportunity to support his fellow La Porte residents by volunteering at the drive.
“Agriculture is very important all over the world and I enjoy directly contributing to the food industry as a 4-H participant,” Frazier said. “I also enjoy helping out with Operation Feed LaPorte County because it gives people who are less fortunate access to the food and supplies that they need. I’ve been volunteering here for about two years now and it’s great for everyone involved: the 4-H students, the volunteers, and, of course, the community members who receive these donated items.”
You can learn more about CompressAir by visiting compressair.net.
