BCEF Awarded Food Insecurity Grant

Will help fund improvements to the Student Success Center’s food pantry and meal support efforts

Celebrating the BCEF grant at a recent BCSC school board meeting are Nick Shellinger (Garmong), Anne Wilson (BCEF), Justin Hirnisey (INAPEF), and Mike Schipp (Fanning Howey). Photo provided.

(Batesville, Ind.) - The Batesville Community Education Foundation (BCEF) has received a $2500 grant from the Indiana Association of Public Education Foundations (INAPEF), through program sponsors Fanning Howey and Garmong, to support food insecurity issues among Batesville High School (BHS) students. BCEF helped spearhead the creation of the BHS Student Success Center (SSC), a consolidated hub to meet students’ academic needs and support their emotional and mental health concerns. Now that the center has been operational for a semester, additional food insecurity issues have come to light. BCEF executive director Anne Wilson and Batesville Community School Corporation (BCSC) wellness coordinator Lisa Tuveson worked together to apply for the grant.

“With more students feeling comfortable visiting the SSC for their issues, we have realized that many students who present as emotionally dysregulated are experiencing food insecurity or lack access to essential hygiene items,” Tuveson explained. “Some arrive at school without breakfast, and occasionally without having eaten dinner the night before. Others struggle in the cafeteria environment due to sensory overload, social anxiety, or trauma-related triggers, making it difficult to access lunch in a traditional setting. When students’ basic needs are unmet, it becomes much harder for them to focus, regulate emotions, and engage academically.”

The $2500 INAPEF grant will help fund improvements to the Student Success Center’s food pantry and meal support efforts, ensuring that students who are struggling emotionally have reliable access to nutritious meals and snacks during the school day. BHS leaders say the initiative addresses a growing need among students who may experience food insecurity or limited access to healthy meals outside of school. The enhanced program aims to reduce stigma, provide dignified access to food, and create a more supportive environment where students can focus on learning and personal success.

INAPEF’s food insecurity grant program is in its third year, thanks to the support in 2026 of construction management firm Garmong and Fanning Howey, an integrated architecture, interiors, and engineering firm specializing in learning environments. Fanning Howey has worked closely with BCSC for many years, designing building additions and also sponsoring BCEF annually at the highest level available.

“We are grateful to INAPEF and these two firms for providing this opportunity to BCEF so we can support our high schoolers with these basic needs and remove barriers to learning,” added Wilson.

The Batesville Community Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, was established to provide additional funding for innovative learning opportunities that go beyond the basics in academics, athletics, and the arts at the Batesville Community School Corporation (BCSC), enhancing the educational environment for all of its students. To date, BCEF has awarded more than $1 million to BCSC through programs, grants, and student scholarships. More information about BCEF may be found online at BatesvilleEducationFoundation.org or by emailing BCEF Executive Director Anne Wilson at awilson@batesville.k12.in.us.