Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County is celebrating its 50th anniversary with the return of its largest fundraiser, Dancing with Our Stars, on Sept. 4 at Embassy Suites in Noblesville.

The event, sponsored by Community Health Network, features local professional dancers paired with Hamilton County celebrities competing for the title of Dancing with Our Stars Champions 2025. Audience members can vote for their favorite dancers to win the People’s Choice Award, with votes accepted both in-person and online.

Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County has been delivering over 200 nutritious meals daily since 1975, helping individuals live independently. The meals are prepared in state-approved healthcare facilities and tailored by registered dietitians to meet specific dietary needs.

The Dancing with Our Stars event is crucial for funding the organization’s mission to provide medically tailored meals to the elderly, those with disabilities, and individuals facing food insecurities in Hamilton County.

Despite recent federal funding cuts affecting some national programs, Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County remains financially stable due to limited reliance on federal funds and strong local support.

The event will feature professional dancers such as Rob Jenkins and Natasha Cox, alongside Hamilton County celebrities like Ashley Mandery and Erika Ross.

Tickets, donations, and votes for the event can be made at mealsonwheelshc.org, and further information is available by contacting Meals on Wheels at 317-776-7159.

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We all want to feed our families fresh, healthy foods, but some items in your kitchen may be doing more harm than good.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says tens of millions of Americans get sick from contaminated food every year, including food labeled organic. Last year alone, food recalls tied to E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria jumped by 41%, while related hospitalizations and deaths more than doubled.

In its latest food safety report, Consumer Reports identified several common grocery items as top offenders for contamination:

• Leafy greens and deli meats
• Onions, cucumbers, organic carrots, and organic basil
• Eggs, raw milk and raw milk cheeses
• Soft cheeses like queso fresco

Experts say contamination can happen anywhere, from the farm to processing plants to your own kitchen.

To reduce your risk of foodborne illness, Consumer Reports recommends the following safety steps:

• Always cook meat to the correct internal temperature using a food thermometer
• Use separate cutting boards for raw meat and fresh produce
• Thoroughly clean countertops and surfaces
• Avoid rinsing raw meat, which can spread bacteria around your sink area
• Store meat on the lowest shelf in the fridge
• Don’t leave food sitting out for more than two hours, or just one hour if it’s hot outside

Other risky items include raw sprouts, shellfish like oysters, uncooked flour, and unpasteurized juices, all of which have been tied to recent outbreaks.

Experts say staying informed and using smart food safety practices can go a long way in keeping your kitchen safe and your family healthy.

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Deandrea Rayner addressed food insecurity in Indianapolis by establishing the Indy Community Pantry, which launched in 2020 and has since expanded to include five dry-goods pantries and three community refrigerators throughout the city.

The initiative started with Rayner filling old boxes with food. Still, the demand quickly outpaced the supply, prompting her to expand the project with the help of volunteers and donations.

Rayner said, “It was a lot of people who didn’t have the resources and means to find food because COVID was new, and no one knew what was going on. So, I was like, ‘How can I help?'”

Rayner’s efforts have been supported by

A network of volunteers, who assist with tasks such as donation pickup and stocking the pantries and refrigerators, have supported Rayner’s efforts. “It would not be what it is today without my volunteers.”

The motto of the Indy Community Pantry is simple: Take what you need, leave what you can.

However, keeping the shelves stocked remains a constant challenge due to high demand.

Resident Peter Yazzie, talking about the occasional scarcity of food, said, “Yeah, sometimes we have to look around by ourselves to see if we can find something, and, most of the time, we’ll find something for the time being. But, yes, the refrigerators are empty sometimes.”

Rayner has ambitious plans for the future, including placing a refrigerator in a school and opening a completely free grocery store, but emphasized the need for continued community support and donations to achieve these goals.

The Indy Community Pantry will continue to address food insecurity in Indianapolis, relying on community involvement to sustain and expand its efforts, Rayner said. “That’s why we need the community’s help and why we are so big on donations, because the food goes so fast.”

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