Volunteers Serve Hundreds of Free Meals After Storm in Valparaiso

Thursday evening brought rain to Valparaiso, leaving parts of the city without power due to recent storms. Despite this, Nana Clare’s Kitchen on the north side remained bustling with activity. Volunteers gathered to prepare and distribute meals for those in need.

Inside the kitchen, volunteers worked diligently, chopping vegetables and preparing dishes like tomato-topped bread and green mac and cheese. Michelle Danielewicz, a Feed the Region volunteer from Portage, turned to her phone to correctly spell ‘ratatouille’ while labeling meals.

Feed the Region was founded by Steph Talarek in January, with meal distribution starting in February. Talarek, who hopes to gain nonprofit status soon, relies on donations to provide these free meals. She plans to expand services into Lake County, aiming to offer meals across the six-county region.

This particular Thursday, the team aimed to serve over 300 meals, responding to the immediate needs post-storm. More than 20 volunteers gathered at Nana Clare’s, busy with meal preparation and distribution. Recipients could also take home small vases of flowers donated by Chesterton’s community garden.

Talarek, wearing a Feed the Region T-shirt, explained the organization’s philosophy of giving back, emphasizing their commitment during challenging times.

Each Thursday evening, Feed the Region provides around 100 meals with the help of six to eight volunteers. Talarek has previously delivered support following an April tornado in Wheatfield. This event was focused entirely on aiding those affected by the storm, who were left without power.

Brenden Hess, alongside his mother Amy and Kelly Enderson, assisted in preparing ‘ugly bread’ for the meals. The group prepared over 300 meals due to the storm’s impact.

Talarek’s effective use of social media encouraged individuals to collect meals for others. One volunteer planned on distributing 15 meals.

Volunteer Jody Gawthrop, who joined the effort after learning about it on Facebook, expressed enthusiasm for the mission and the delivery effort. Amy Hess and her son, Brenden, participated by wrapping bread for transport. Brenden, a soon-to-be fifth grader, finds joy in cooking and learning new skills.

Volunteer Carol Presdorf, who began helping this summer, focuses on vegetable preparation and cleaning, supporting Talarek’s mission even without cooking expertise.

The team prepared additional dishes like pasta, bread, and possibly chili, using canned beans stocked in the kitchen. Talarek noted the importance of their stored supplies as they maintained power throughout the storm.

Interested individuals can find more information at www.feedtheregion.org.