Hunger Action Day - Tuesday, September 29, 2026

September is Hunger Action Month. Hunger Action Day is Tuesday, September 29

Ending Hunger Takes All of Us – Donate. Volunteer. Advocate.

September is Hunger Action Month – a month-long campaign dedicated to raising awareness and inspiring action to end hunger in America.

According to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap (FY 24), 121,400 (16.4%) neighbors including 38,450 (21.4%) children in northern Indiana are food insecure – a 9.3% increase in adults and a 13% increase in children since FY 24. Food insecurity can impact anyone regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, ability, geography, national origin or any other distinguishing characteristic or trait.

Tuesday, September 29, is Hunger Action Day. Orange is the symbolic color for hunger relief. Make a bold statement and wear your brightest orange to support those in northern Indiana who go hungry.

Consider taking action in the following ways:

The Meals with Muffet Food Drive will take place on Tuesday, September 29. Donations can be made online at http://give.feedindiana.org/MealswithMuffet

Orange food drive donation bins will be located at Martin’s Super Markets in St. Joseph County to accept non-perishable food donations in conjunction with this food drive at the following locations in St. Joseph County:

7355 Heritage Square Dr., Granger, IN 46530

12850 State Rd. 23, Granger, IN 46530       

314 N. Ironwood Dr., Ste. A, Mishawaka, IN 46544

306 N. Bittersweet Rd., Mishawaka, IN 46544

2081 South Bend Ave., South Bend, IN 46637

926 Erskine Plaza, South Bend, IN 46614

525 S. Mayflower Rd., South Bend, IN 46619

Food and monetary donations can be dropped off at the Food Bank of Northern Indiana, 702 Chapin St., South Bend, IN 46601, from     8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Most needed food items include Peanut Butter, Jelly, Canned Soup (Chicken Noodle, Cream of Mushroom, Vegetable, Tomato), Pancake Mix and Syrup, Boxed Dinner Meals (Beef Pasta, Alfredo, Cheeseburger, Cheesy Tuna, Lasagna), Canned Ravioli, Canned Fruit, Canned Vegetables, Boxed Potatoes (Au Gratin, Mashed), Spaghetti and Spaghetti Sauce. *Low sugar, low sodium, pop top lids and no glass jars, please.

Every $10 donated to the Food Bank of Northern Indiana provides up to five meals for a hungry neighbor.

• The City of South Bend’s River Lights, Central Park Bridge in Mishawaka and the Memorial Hospital Crosswalk will be lit orange on Tuesday, September 29, to recognize Hunger Action Day.
• Tour the Food Bank’s 82,000 square-foot facility and learn about its programs – Food 4 Kids Backpack Program, Mobile Food Distribution Program, Senior Nutrition Program, Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the Community Food Pantry of St. Joseph County – the largest pantry in the Food Bank’s six-county service area.
• Organize a food drive at your workplace, club, or place of worship to restock the Food Bank’s warehouse shelves. Food collected is redistributed through our network of agency partners.
• Encourage community members to visit and volunteer at the Food Bank or any of its 119 partner agencies in our six-county service area to learn how we are feeding hungry neighbors and creating healthier communities.

Use your voice by contacting legislators. Hunger in America is a crisis. Map the Meal Gap data shares that 48 million people, including more than 14 million children, experienced hunger in 2024, the highest level since 2014. Food continues to be out of reach for those who need it most.

Share your photos by tagging the Food Bank on Facebook (@Food-Bank-of-Northern-Indiana), X (@FoodBkNIndiana) and Instagram (@foodbknindiana) and include #HungerActionMonth, #EndHunger and @FeedingAmerica.

Hunger Action Month began in 2008 when Feeding America’s network of food banks united to mobilize individuals to take action to fight hunger in their communities. Originally, this initiative was called Hunger Action Day, which began in 2002 and was held on the first Tuesday of June. The Food Bank of Northern Indiana has participated in Hunger Action Month since 2009.