Many people in the U.S. experience significant challenges in securing consistent access to nutritious food. This food insecurity is reflected across the country, including towns like Bloomington, Indiana, which has a 16 percent food insecurity rate, higher than both the state and national averages. Further adding to the issue in Bloomington is the Indiana University student body, which has had as many as 15,000 of its students experience some form of food insecurity in recent years.
Addressing both the immediate and underlying challenges of food insecurity
To help address this issue, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard provides healthy, nutritious food to those experiencing food insecurity in Bloomington. To achieve this, they work to reduce food insecurity by addressing both residents’ immediate needs and the root causes of their food insecurity, providing a critical lifeline for residents.
With a belief that access to healthy food is a basic human right, Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard operates a client-choice food pantry, allowing residents to select the groceries that best meet their dietary needs and preferences, which fosters dignity and reduces food waste. Their focus on fresh, healthy food means that the pantry is stocked with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and proteins—essentials that promote overall wellbeing.
Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard also recognizes the power of good food to bring people together and support healthy communities, but their fight against food insecurity doesn’t stop at the pantry doors.
They also empower the community through educational programs, including their garden education initiative that teaches families how to grow their own food, providing not just sustenance but also a sense of agency over their food security. They also offer cooking classes and nutrition workshops to further develop the skills needed to make healthy and affordable meals at home.
Additionally, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard advocates for food justice, recognizing that systemic change is necessary to address the root causes of hunger. Through community outreach and policy advocacy, they strive to create a world where everyone has consistent access to healthy food.
With the support of a grant from the Maximus Foundation, Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard was able to feed more than 25,000 residents in 2023. They were also able to cover the maintenance costs for their Hoosier Hill Food Bank, which provides residents with staple goods, such as canned food, pasta, meat, dairy, nuts, fruits, and dried goods. This grant also benefited their Farmer Support Initiative, allowing Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard to pay four different farmers for fresh vegetables and fruits that were provided to residents in need.
Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard is making a real difference in Bloomington. It addresses the immediate and underlying challenges of food insecurity with compassion, education, and action. Learn more about how they work on the frontlines of fighting food insecurity.
Giving back to the communities we serve
The Maximus Foundation is one of the ways Maximus employees are doing something greater together. Established by the Maximus Board of Directors in 2000, the Maximus Foundation is an independent, employee-led, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Employee donors pool their charitable contributions together through the Foundation, double their impact on the grantmaking program through Maximus’ dollar-for-dollar matching pledge, and make their voices heard by nominating and voting for future grantee partners. Though the Foundation focuses its giving strategy on grantmaking, it also helps coordinate corporate-wide humanitarian efforts and empowers employees to donate their time and skills to nonprofits. Their inspired giving and volunteerism help accelerate the missions of nonprofits on the front lines of the communities we serve. Learn more at the Maximus Foundation website.