There are over 18,000 children in East-Central Indiana who don’t have reliable, nutritious meals, along with other barriers to success caused by poverty. The Big Idea initiative unites schools, families, and resource providers in order to distribute resources, build connections, and create opportunities for children to chart a path to long-term stability.
The Big Idea
THE BIG IDEA SCHOOL EVENTS
A Path Forward
Big Idea events create an opportunity to connect school staff, families, career presenters, and local organizations to ultimately benefit the entire community. Caregivers, students, and school staff learn about ways to improve the social/emotional/wellness factors that positively impact a student’s learning environment. All of these pieces join together to form one Big Idea. The Big Idea that our children, families, schools, and communities thrive when we all work together to support and encourage everyone’s individual talents and dreams.
Food
At a typical Big Idea school event, we provide approximately 30-35 pounds of food for a family. We encourage schools to implement a choice model to create a shopping experience for families, because people deserve a choice in nutrition. Food often includes shelf-stable items, fresh produce, and freezer items.
Hygiene Supplies
Often families are forced to choose between certain items to make their budget work. We strive to supply basic hygiene products like soap, toothpaste, shampoo, laundry products, cleaning supplies, period supplies, household paper products, and more through our Big Idea schools.
Community Resources
At Big Idea events, essential resources for healthcare, job security, college assistance, community/family programs, and more are available to attendees. By making these resources readily available we help alleviate time and transportation related barriers that would often prevent families from taking advantage of these community resources.
Relationships
Caregiver involvement and the school-family relationship in education is crucial in achieving: higher test scores, better attendance, improved behavior/social skills, and adaptiveness. The Big Idea initiative is intentionally designed to shift the focus from solely a food distribution to having a more community event feel, encouraging engagement from all caregivers.
THE BIG IDEA PARTNER SCHOOLS
We partner with schools all across East-Central Indiana. Is your school one of them? Check the listings below to see if your child attends one of our Big Idea Schools. If so, you’re welcome to attend one of their distributions. Reach out at the number or email provided to find out when to arrive!
Cowan Elementary
765-289-7129
East Washington Academy
765-747-5434
The Excel Center
765-283-0916
Grissom Elementary
765-747-5401
Longfellow Elementary
765-747-5410
Muncie Central High School
765-747-5260
Northside Middle School
765-747-5290
North View Elementary
765-747-5422
Southside Middle School
765-747-5320
South View Elementary
765-747-5226
West View Elementary
765-747-5437
United Daycare
765-282-1742
Allen Elementary
765-664-7355
Eastbrook North Elemenary
765-934-3551
Eastbrook South Elementary
765-998-2550
Frances Slocum Elementary
765-664-0589
Kendall Elementary
765-662-7364
Lakeview Christian School
765-677-4266
Northview Elementary
765-677-4400
Park Elementary
765-536-0084
Kendall Elementary
765-662-7364
Eastwood Elementary
765-521-7205
Knightstown Elementary
765-345-2151
Parker Elementary
765-521-7209
Wilbur Wright Elementary
765-521-7217
Alexandria-Monroe Elementary
765-724-4166
Anderson Elementary
765-641-2109
AHS Career Center
765-641-2046
Anderson Intermediate
765-641-2047
Edgewood Elementary
765-641-2119
Erskine Elementary
765-641-2099
Excel Center Anderson
317-524-3930
Frankton Elementary
765-754-7545
Highland Middle School
765-641-2059
Southview Preschool
765-641-2360
St. John’s Early Literacy Preschool
765-649-9308
Summitville Elementary
765-536-2875
Tenth Street Elementary
765-641-2103
Valley Grove Elementary
765-378-3393
Union School Corporation
765-853-5464
North Manchester Intermediate
765-289-7129
OJ Neighbours Elementary
260-563-2345
DIAPER BANK
Through our partnerships, we provide diapers, wipes, and other supplies to parents of young children. 1 in 3 parents struggle to afford diapers, but thanks to our membership in the National Diaper Bank Network we were able to distribute almost 400,000 diapers in 2021.
PERIOD SUPPLIES
No one should have to miss school because they can’t access menstrual health supplies. Thanks to our partnership with the Alliance For Period Supplies we are able to make them freely available to schools to meet this need so that students can focus on learning.