Being a part of the Forward STEPS community is one of the best parts of my life in Muncie! Forward STEPS is a relationship-based poverty alleviation initiative of Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana; together we (people from all walks of life) work on all sorts of projects that empower people as they move from merely surviving to thriving.

Our “Big View” programming focuses on dismantling the systemic barriers that keep many people under-resourced. One such barrier is the decreasing stability of the climate and other natural systems. We all have a role to play in ensuring that essential resources will be available to future generations, but participating in environmental stewardship activities often takes resources, like time and money, that are in short supply for folks who are struggling just to get by.

We were fortunate to receive some financial support from a few donors who want to support all the members of our community who are interested in developing more sustainable habits. So with their support, I was able to organize and facilitate a whole bunch of activities around the theme of sustainability this fall, and I’ve been just thrilled with what we are able to accomplish together. Trees were planted, resource usage was reduced, lessons were shared, and it felt good to do it all together!

So, if you want to see a poster I made with a more detailed report of what we accomplished together during our Forward STEPS Sustainability Challenge 2019, please click here.