In this week’s edition of Wes’s Weekly Wrap-Up, Wes Tillett, LUM executive director, expresses his gratitude for the dedicated LUM Protein Food Pantry team—including Carole Hahm, the LUM Volunteer of the Month—who are on pace to set a record for the number of shoppers welcomed this year. LUM invites you to take just 59 seconds to watch and share this video with others.

Lafayette Urban Ministry is delighted to recognize Carole Hahm as the LUM Volunteer of the Month for August 2025. Carole, a Purdue Pharmacy graduate and retired CVS pharmacist, has lived in Lafayette for 35 years. Since retiring, she has poured her time and energy into the LUM Protein Food Pantry.

Early in her service, Carole noticed that laundry detergent was often unavailable for families. Taking initiative, she began making detergent herself. “I just thought it would be a good way to help out,” she recalls. What started as one volunteer’s thoughtful act has grown into a production team that now provides more than 10,000 bottles each year—an essential item that pantry shoppers have come to count on.

Carole’s faith also guides her service. She shares, “God has blessed my life in so many ways, and thanks to Him, I am able to help my neighbors.” Thank you, Carole, for your years of service, your generous heart, and the impact you’ve made on so many local families. 

BE INSPIRED – To volunteer with LUM, visit LUMserve.org/volunteer or email volunteer@LUMserve.org | 765-423-2691. To READ Carole’s full story, click HERE.

The LUM Protein Food Pantry is best known for offering healthy food to our neighbors in need—but it also provides everyday essentials like toothbrushes, shampoo, laundry detergent, toilet paper, diapers, wipes, adult incontinence products, and feminine hygiene supplies. These items are NOT covered by government assistance, yet they are vital to health and dignity. A large part of the LUM Protein Food Pantry budget goes toward supplying them.

Demand has grown rapidly—shoppers have increased significantly in the past year, and the LUM Protein Food Pantry now serves more than 175 unique families each week. Every gift matters—cash donations allow LUM to cover urgent needs, and "needed items" like toothbrushes, peanut butter, toilet paper, or dish soap make an immediate difference.

You can also coordinate a Collection Drive at your school, church, or workplace. Donations can be dropped off at LUM or shipped directly through our Amazon Wish List. Help support families with food and essential items today.

LUM invites you to an important community event addressing hunger in Indiana. On Wednesday, September 10, from 7 - 9 p.m. at The Arts Federation (638 North Street, Lafayette), Food Finders Food Bank and Bread for the World Indiana will host a free screening of Food, Insecure, a powerful 30-minute documentary.

Food insecurity among Hoosiers is worsening. Nearly a million Indiana residents—many of them working families with children—struggle to put healthy food on the table. Through intimate interviews and compelling stories, the film highlights the daily struggles of Hoosiers facing hunger, while experts provide insight into the broader impact on individuals, families, and communities.

More than a documentary, Food, Insecure is a call to action. The evening will include opening remarks, the screening, and a panel discussion with local leaders, including Wes Tillett, LUM executive director. The program will conclude with a postcard-writing advocacy activity. RSVP by clicking the button below. To view the Food, Insecure trailer, click HERE.

Food Pantry & Rescue