IPS Steps Up to Support Families During Government Shutdown
INDIANAPOLIS — As the federal government shutdown continues to affect economically challenged families, Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) is taking quick action to ensure its students and their loved ones have access to essential food resources.
The district is leveraging its existing support systems and increasing coordination with community partners to fill the gap left by potential disruptions to SNAP benefits.
IPS has launched a dedicated web page listing schools with operational food pantries and other locations where families can pick up food boxes across the city.
“First part is just making sure people know where they can go,” Shelby Roby-Terry, the district’s chief communications officer, said in a Friday interview with Indy Politics.
The district is collaborating closely with organizations like Gleaners Food Bank to maintain a steady supply of nutritious items. The second stage of the plan, Roby-Terry explained, involves “working with our community partners to make sure that we can collaborate on getting food boxes to people, probably stocking more of our pantries and things of that nature.”
IPS is using multiple channels to get the word out, including School Messenger alerts, social media, and individual school newsletters.
“We’re also going to be sending messages through our individual schools so that either the face liaisons or the principal can get that into–they have their own ways of communicating with families, the ones that they know work best for them,” Roby-Terry said.
While the duration of the shutdown is uncertain, Roby-Terry says she is optimistic about the community’s response. She said that various partners, including non-profits and alumni supporters, have been proactively reaching out.
“I’m very optimistic to think that we have enough people. We’ve had people reaching out to us even without reaching out to them first because they know what’s happening in our community,” she said. “I don’t really think we’ll run out of food.”
For families needing assistance, Roby-Terry said that information is readily available.
“The best way to kind of figure out what we’re doing and where we are is looking on our website,” she said.
