United Way of Allen County Creates Emergency Food Campaign with Goal to Raise $45,000 for Local Food Pantries

FORT WAYNE (November 10, 2025) – United Way of Allen County launched an Emergency Food Campaign on October 30th and has raised $40,000 of its $45,000 goal to support Associated Churches, Community Harvest, and Miss Virginia’s. The community is encouraged to help close the final gap to ensure these food pantries receive critical funds before the holidays.

The ongoing federal government shutdown is having serious repercussions for families who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). While recent news indicates the state is working to at least partially fund SNAP, uncertainty remains about when families will receive relief. This directly affects many of the individuals and families our partners serve. Reduced or delayed SNAP benefits mean increased reliance on local food pantries.

In response, United Way of Allen County has launched an Emergency Food Campaign to provide immediate relief to raise funds for their three partner food pantries — Associated Churches, Community Harvest, and Miss Virginia’s to help keep pantry shelves stocked.

United Way of Allen County began with an initial $5,000 contribution to incentivize additional matches with the goal of raising at least $45,000. One community member quickly matched it. With a match secured, United Way has had several other donors and organizations contribute. To date, United Way has secured $40,000, bringing us closer to our goal. United Way anticipates presenting each pantry with approximately $15,000 within the next few weeks to support their critical work.

If you’re interested in joining United Way for this match campaign — or know of an organization that may be interested, please contact Brandi Buck at bbuck@uwacin.org.

Looking ahead, in February United Way of Allen County will also host their annual food drive to collect nonperishable items and continue sustaining these vital organizations through the winter months.

About United Way of Allen County

Established in 1922, United Way of Allen County works to cultivate and advance community solutions that change the lives of families and individuals who are working hard but struggling to survive. Through advocacy, agency investments, collaborative initiatives, and volunteerism, we boldly impact critical community issues in Allen County. For more information, please visit www.unitedwayallencounty.org.