Cultivate opens new facility in Elkhart | News | cnhinews.com

ELKHART — Cultivate Food Rescue, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating hunger and food waste, celebrated the opening of its new volunteer meal packaging facility in Elkhart with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday.

Located in the old Bullard Farm Market at 5220 Middlebury St. in Elkhart, the newly renovated space will accommodate up to 200 volunteers weekly and help expand the organization's backpack meal distribution from 680 to 2,000 children in Elkhart County.

"This new facility is one step closer to solving food insecurity in Elkhart County, increasing the number of children benefiting from our Backpack Program by 194%," said Jim Conklin, executive director of Cultivate Food Rescue. "The packaged meals guarantee that every child enrolled in our program goes home from school for the weekend with two breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners that can be easily microwaved. Every meal is well balanced with breakfasts consisting of a protein, starch, and fruit, and lunches and dinners consisting of a protein, starch, and a fresh or frozen (never canned) vegetable."

Now open to volunteers, Cultivate says November and December food packaging shifts have already filled up, and the organization is working to fill its January 2025 volunteer calendar. Those interested in volunteering can visit CultivateFoodRescue.com/Elkhart to register.

"Ending hunger in Elkhart County is a community effort, and we are thrilled to see so many people eager to come together and package nutritious meals to support their hungry neighbors," Conklin said.

In the previous two years, Cultivate Food Rescue has redistributed nearly 1.75 million pounds of food to Elkhart County, serving 39 schools and a combination of 36 pantries, soup kitchens, and other organizations.

To learn more about Cultivate's efforts to leave no neighbor hungry and no food wasted, visit CultivateFoodRescue.com.

Cultivate Food Rescue is a nonprofit organization based in South Bend that rescues excess food that would otherwise go to waste through strategic partnerships with local grocery stores, restaurants, and other food retailers. The food is then redistributed to those in need through partnerships with local pantries and schools throughout St. Joseph, Marshall and Elkhart counties.

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