Lake Station food pantry contract suspended after indictment
NWI Times
April 18, 2014 - 7:00 pm
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/lake-station/lake-station-food-pantry-contract-suspended-after-indictment/article_49e8d734-da51-5172-940e-a05f0f8a252d.html
GARY | The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana has suspended its contract with the Greater Hammond - Lake Station food pantry in the wake of the federal indictment of Deborah Soderquist, the pantry director, a spokeswoman said.
Food already supplied to the Lake Station pantry will be redistributed to the Lake Station community through a mobile pantry, Food Bank spokeswoman Megan Sikes said.
An 11-count indictment filed Wednesday alleges Lake Station Mayor Keith Soderquest and Deborah Soderquist, his wife, improperly used money from the city's food pantry and his re-election campaign at local casinos.
The couple are accused of cashing a $300 check from the city intended for the food pantry, according to the indictment. About two hours after the check was cashed July 13, 2011, both were gambling at Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, Mich., authorities said.
An ATM withdrawal from the food pantry was made July 16, 2011, but the indictment does not state how much was taken.
Defense attorney Scott King has said the Soderquists "never touched a penny" of money from the city's food pantry fund, as the government alleges. King said he believes federal prosecutors "got it wrong" on charges against his clients.
The Lake Station pantry is one of almost 100 community-based programs, pantries and soup kitchens in Lake and Porter counties to be supplied food by the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, in Gary, Sikes said.
No money was taken from the Food Bank, Sikes said.
The Food Bank was required by law to pick up Emergency Food Assistance Program commodities that had been supplied to the pantry when the contract was suspended, Sikes said. The food will be redistributed to the community through a mobile pantry.
"Our commitment to Lake Station and all the communities we serve has not changed," Food Bank board President Kevin DeVries said. "We know that the more than 104,000 food-insecure people we serve need our resources of food."
The Times Care and Share Food Drive planned May 1 to May 30 by the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana will dedicate 200 of an expected 1,000 boxes of donated food to Lake Station residents, Sikes said.
NWI Times
April 18, 2014 - 7:00 pm
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/lake-station/lake-station-food-pantry-contract-suspended-after-indictment/article_49e8d734-da51-5172-940e-a05f0f8a252d.html
GARY | The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana has suspended its contract with the Greater Hammond - Lake Station food pantry in the wake of the federal indictment of Deborah Soderquist, the pantry director, a spokeswoman said.
Food already supplied to the Lake Station pantry will be redistributed to the Lake Station community through a mobile pantry, Food Bank spokeswoman Megan Sikes said.
An 11-count indictment filed Wednesday alleges Lake Station Mayor Keith Soderquest and Deborah Soderquist, his wife, improperly used money from the city's food pantry and his re-election campaign at local casinos.
The couple are accused of cashing a $300 check from the city intended for the food pantry, according to the indictment. About two hours after the check was cashed July 13, 2011, both were gambling at Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, Mich., authorities said.
An ATM withdrawal from the food pantry was made July 16, 2011, but the indictment does not state how much was taken.
Defense attorney Scott King has said the Soderquists "never touched a penny" of money from the city's food pantry fund, as the government alleges. King said he believes federal prosecutors "got it wrong" on charges against his clients.
The Lake Station pantry is one of almost 100 community-based programs, pantries and soup kitchens in Lake and Porter counties to be supplied food by the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, in Gary, Sikes said.
No money was taken from the Food Bank, Sikes said.
The Food Bank was required by law to pick up Emergency Food Assistance Program commodities that had been supplied to the pantry when the contract was suspended, Sikes said. The food will be redistributed to the community through a mobile pantry.
"Our commitment to Lake Station and all the communities we serve has not changed," Food Bank board President Kevin DeVries said. "We know that the more than 104,000 food-insecure people we serve need our resources of food."
The Times Care and Share Food Drive planned May 1 to May 30 by the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana will dedicate 200 of an expected 1,000 boxes of donated food to Lake Station residents, Sikes said.
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