United Way of Central Indiana Helps Grace Care Center Fill Basic Needs

Fresh produce, dairy, and pantry staples ready for distribution at the Grace Care Center Mobile Pantry—bringing healthy food directly to neighbors in need.

When families walk through our doors for the first time, we focus on filling their basic needs before anything else. United Way of Central Indiana recently announced that they will support our efforts through a Basic Needs Fund grant of $25,000!

The grant will go directly toward providing Central Indiana families with access to healthy food options through Grace Care Center’s Choice Food Pantry and Mobile Food Pantry. 

This is the first time United Way of Central Indiana has opened grant funding to nonprofits outside of its accredited partner network. We are incredibly grateful for this generosity, especially as costs for groceries and household items continue to rise.

“More and more families are turning to Grace Care Center for immediate help,” said Cara Augspurger, executive director of the Grace Care Center Foundation. “In 2024, nearly 50% of the families who utilized our services were new to our organization–it’s looking like this trend will continue in 2025. This incredible funding from United Way will help us rise to meet this increased need.”

At the Choice Food Pantry, families find a unique experience focused on preserving dignity and inspiring hope. Each family is provided with a set of points before shopping our pantry for the groceries that fit their needs, culture, and lifestyle. They are encouraged to prioritize nutrition, with healthy items such as fresh fruit and vegetables available for fewer points. These nutritious choices are often out of reach for people experiencing food insecurity, but not at the Care Center.

Beyond groceries, families are also welcomed into a community of support. When they are ready, they are encouraged to access our additional services and programs, such as the Thrift Store, English Classes, Co-Op Program, and Vehicle Services. Each is designed to move Care Center Friends along a path to stability and life-long change, empowering them to break down barriers and remove themselves from a cycle of poverty. 

“Nearly 40% of Central Indiana households are living in, or are one emergency away from, poverty,” said Shannon Jenkins, United Way’s vice president of impact. “These grants to non-accredited organizations, guided by United Way’s strategic aim of increasing and diversifying investment in under-resourced areas, will support operations, services, and programing–and outcomes supporting more people and families throughout Central Indiana.”

Thank you, United Way of Central Indiana, for your support of Grace Care Center Friends! 

Interested in learning more or supporting the Grace Care Center through GCC Foundation? Please contact Executive Director Cara Augspurger via email. You may also make a gift online here.