Franciscan Health Dyer has added an OrderAhead food locker outside its main entrance, expanding a partnership with the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana aimed at fighting food insecurity in the Region.
The program lets people facing chronic difficulty getting enough food order online and pick up at a scheduled time. The Dyer unit is a 16-bay refrigerated locker under the hospital's main entrance canopy at 24 Joliet St., on the Indiana-Illinois state line. It is the seventh OrderAhead location in Lake County, the first in that part of the county, and offers 24/7 access.
The locker is stocked with fresh produce, refrigerated proteins, whole grains and other healthy options. Two bays are reserved for first responders helping people during Department of Child Services or veteran-related emergencies. Annual food investment in the locker is projected to exceed $43,200, funded entirely by Franciscan Health Foundation donors.
The locker builds on a partnership that began in 2021 with mobile markets, free Fresh Start Markets and food prescription programs. Food Bank president and CEO Victor Garcia said the Dyer locker makes it easier for patients and neighbors to get nutritious food, which the partners treat as part of quality medical care. Pickups can be scheduled at OrderAhead.org.
