Compassion Ministries asks council for county funds to expand healthy-food options at local pantry

Joni Wise, administrator of the Vigo County Health Department, introduced a request from Compassion Ministries for an appropriation from last year’s HFI funds to purchase more healthy food for the pantry Compassion Ministries operates on the New Life Fellowship campus.

Bill Treadway, fundraising director, and Angela (Angie) Treadway, executive director of Compassion Ministries, described the pantry as a volunteer-run operation that serves between 50 and 200 families per month (approximately 600 individuals) and about 2,000 people annually through Thanksgiving baskets. Angie Treadway said the pantry operates like a small grocery store and prioritizes treating clients with dignity; she emphasized a push to increase fresh and lower-sodium options for elderly clients and people with diet-related health issues.

Angie Treadway said requested funds would be used solely for food purchases, focusing on fresh and nonprocessed items such as meat and produce rather than shelf-stable but less healthy options. The pantry is located at 7711 Wabash Avenue, Terre Haute, and the Treadways said all pantry workers are volunteers and the facility is provided by New Life Fellowship.

Council members commended the pantry’s work; no formal appropriation vote was recorded in the meeting transcript. Joni Wise said this was likely the last time she would bring this particular appropriation request from the 2024 HFI funds to the council. The Treadways reiterated that donations used in the pantry have low overhead and that some corporate partnership programs provide high-value gift-card matches that extend local dollars.

The council did not record a formal motion or vote on the appropriation in the transcript; councilmembers asked questions and praised the service.