Our Mission
The Mission of Community Help Network, Inc. is to provide programming to help eliminate food insecurity and systemic poverty in South Lake County, Indiana. We serve those citizens in our community that dwell in poverty, acclaiming their diversity with equity and inclusiveness.
So, let’s come together to make a positive impact in our community. Donate today and help us ensure that no child in South Lake County goes hungry. Together, we can make a difference!
“Never do nothing just because you can only do a little.”
-Bonnie
Team Buddy Bags
No matter if you are a fan of running or not you can support Buddy Bags by participating in local races! Check the link below for info!
Kids Eat Right
The foods we eat are the fuel our bodies need to thrive. Get tips about improving the nutrition of our children with the link below.
Buddy Bags
Children who are benefiting from free breakfast and lunch at school, are not always so fortunate on the weekends.
Ladle of Love
Come Join us for an amazing meal and sometimes music
– First and Third Saturday of every month
– 11am to 1pm
Household Pantry
Serves low income families in South Lake County
-Photo ID and proof of residency required
– Tuesday 9-1, Saturday 9-12
Volunteer Options
Thank you for considering volunteering with us! We have a variety of volunteer opportunities available
Upcoming Events
We are constantly hosting new and exciting events. Check out the link below to see what we have coming up!
News Letter
In 2017, the Missions’ Committee and Crown Point First United Methodist Church began addressing food insecurity in area students. They discovered that students who qualified for the “free lunch” program were not getting enough to eat over weekends and breaks. The Committee used a program model called Buddy Bags from Kokomo Urban Outreach, which provided meals and snacks for the days students were not in school. The Buddy Bags program started in one Crown Point School and quickly expanded to three schools before the end of the school year. By 2020, the program had outgrown the space and funding the church could provide, so a group of volunteers formed the Community Help Network to encompass the Buddy Bag Program. They were offered space in the ARC building warehouse in September 2020 and have since grown the Buddy Bag Program to serve over 850 food-insecure students in twenty-three schools in four school districts. In January 2021, the Community Help Network added a Household Pantry to provide cleaning supplies, paper products, and hygiene items to low-income families in South Lake County. This program has also seen significant growth, serving nearly 60 families in the first month of 2023.
4 Middle Schools
16 Elementary
2 Preschools
22 Total # of Schools
581 – preschool and elementary students
223 – middle school students