Environmentally Friendly Grocery Bag Project

You can make an environmentally friendly grocery bag filled with non-perishable food items and deliver this to your local food pantry.
 
PROCESS:
Make an environmentally friendly grocery bag(s) out of a new or used (washed first!) t-shirt. The completed bags will be used to help distribute food at local pantries.
Fill the bag(s) with non-perishable food items that will benefit Community Based Organizations and food pantries throughout Central Indiana.
 
Items needed:

• Gently used and laundered or new T-shirt
• Scissor
• Colored tape or marker
• Measuring tape or measuring stick

 
Procedure:
Turn your gently used and washed or new t-shirts into a reusable grocery bag. These no-sew t-shirt bags are perfect for donating to local food pantries to use when they give out food, in addition to being environmentally friendly. Here is a fun, simple low-budget project to clean out your closet, protect the environment, and most importantly help others!


Step 1

Turn the t-shirt inside out.




Step 2

Cut off the sleeves and the neckline.




Step 3

Determine how big you want the bag to be and draw a line across or mark with colored tape.




Step 4
 
Cut the Fringe. Cut slits into the bottom of the shirt, up to the line/ tape from step 3, to create fringe. Cut the front and the back of the shirt at the same time so they line up. About 1 inch wide and 2 inches long.




Step 5

Tie the fringe together. Make sure to keep the knots tight and double knot when possible.




Step 6

Finish Your Bag. After you have finished tying the fringes together, turn the bag right-side out, and you have a reusable bag!



Step 7

Take video or photo(s), post on social media and tag United Way of Central Indiana. Tag us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @uwci and use the hashtags #ChangeTomorrowToday, and #LiveUnited.

Step 8

Fill up the bag(s) with non-perishable items and donate at your preferred food panty or community-based organization.

DONATING TO THE COMMUNITY:
Suggested locations for Grocery bag donations are as follows:

• Centers for Working Families (Flanner House, Edna Martin Center, Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center, Southeast Community Services, etc.) 
  • John Bonder Neighborhood Centers    https://jhbcc.org/
  • Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center   https://www.maryrigg.org/
  • Edna Martin Center   https://ednamartincc.org/
  • Flanner House of Indianapolis    https://flannerhouse.org/ 
  • Southeast Community Services https://www.southeastindy.org/
• HVAF of Indiana  https://www.hvafofindiana.org/
• Horizon House    https://www.horizonhouse.cc/
• Gleaners  https://www.gleaners.org/
• Local food pantries  https://www.indystar.com/story/news/health/2020/03/20/food-pantry-indianapolis-coronavirus-help/2876796001/

 
Food Insecurity community statistic resources:
The following resources can be shared to help understand food insecurity in the Central Indiana community.

• Indyhunger.org
  • https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/indiana
  • https://www.gleaners.org/
• This one they can put in any county and learn more (it is currently on Boone)
  • https://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2018/overall/indiana/county/boone
• COVID-19 Video with John Elliott  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7qOJwk0K6I
• United Way of Central Indiana Basic Needs Fund   https://uwci.org/basic-needs-fund/
• “Operation Food” through Feeding Indiana’s Hungry https://feedingindianashungry.org/fssa-and-feeding-indianas-hungry-sound-call-for-hoosiers-to-volunteer-at-charitable-food-network-locations-across-indiana/