Donnelly donates shutdown pay to 10 food banks

INDIANAPOLIS — Sen. Joe Donnelly has donated his take-home pay from the federal government shutdown to 10 food banks across Indiana.

The Indiana Democrat earned $5,000 in take-home pay for the 16-day period, so he wrote $500 checks Wednesday to food banks in Evansville, Fort Wayne, Gary, Indianapolis, Lafayette, Muncie, New Albany, Richmond, South Bend, and Terre Haute.

Donnelly says one charity, Feeding America, estimates more than 1 million Hoosiers last year were “food insecure,” meaning they didn’t always know where they’d find their next meal.

Donnelly donated money to United Caring Shelters in Evansville; Gleaners in Indianapolis, Lafayette’s Food Finders Food Bank, Hope Southern Indiana in New Albany, Richmond’s Circle U Help Center, Catholic Charities of Terre Haute; and regional food banks in Fort Wayne, Gary and South Bend.