14,000 meals added to local food banks through Kimball Solutions' efforts

Hips swayed and heads bobbed along three production lines at Kimball Solutions Friday afternoon.

It was a fun moment as pop music blared from a nearby garage speaker, and each employee assembled their piece of the product before it was weighed, sealed and packed into cardboard boxes. Though much less technical than the work employees typically do at the Jasper electronics manufacturing plant, the completed mac and cheese packages would provide a nutritious and tasty meal for thousands of children in Dubois County.

Million Meal Movement (MMM) General Manager Shane Scarlett turned up the volume on the mix he was playing and cajoled the teams to work faster. “You are doing great, but you’re going too slow to meet our goal in the time we have,” he told them.

They picked up the pace, with this first shift of employee volunteers expected to pack half of those meals in time for the second shift to finish up.

Packages of macaroni and cheese began with scoops of pasta and a special cheese powder infused with vitamin D and calcium funneled into premade bags. Those bags were then weighed to ensure each had the appropriate amount before being sealed, dated and packed into boxes at the end of the production line.

Kimball’s Indianapolis facility has partnered with MMM before, but this marks the nonprofit’s first event at the Jasper plant.

“Our Indianapolis facility has provided their employees many opportunities to volunteer time during work hours to help pack meals with MMM,” said Scott Saalman, Director of Social Responsibility. “We talked to MMM this year to see if they’d be willing to drive down to Jasper so we can host an event.”

This event allowed MMM to broaden its reach into Southern Indiana through the expansion of its partnership.

*Lorna Dewig places a box full of macaroni and cheese packages onto a pallet.*

According to Scarlett, MMM focuses on food insecurity specifically among Hoosier families. Through their four-person team, they partner with businesses, churches and nonprofits to build community and draw attention to the need.

“We want to make a difference in our own communities,” Scarlett explained. “There truly is a need, and it is growing.”

Food insecurity has only increased since COVID, Scarlett said. Though levels were bad then, factors like inflation and, more recently, the loss of SNAP benefits have exacerbated the issue. The 14,000 meals prepared by employees would be a welcome addition to the shelves at the Community Food Bank in Jasper and Shared Abundance in Huntingburg.

*Joy Jeffries adds a little pasta to a package to ensure it is the proper amount.*

The food distribution event reflects Kimball Solutions’ stance on making an impact in communities where it operates — whether that’s Jasper, Poland or Thailand.

“All of our global locations are encouraged to provide opportunities for employees to do charity work during work hours,” explained Saalman. “It’s very challenging for manufacturing companies to do this, what with production demands. But we find ways. And we hope to provide more opportunities.”

He added that working with MMM is an easier extension of their generosity, since the nonprofit sets up production on-site.

“Our facilities have done many noteworthy volunteer projects: Habitat for Humanity in Indy; water quality, reforestation and save the sea turtle projects in Thailand; painting walls and other upkeep at SWICACC (Southwest Indiana Child Advocacy Coalition) in Jasper, and walking dogs for the Dubois County Humane Society; serving food to refugee center occupants in Mexico, to name just a few,” Saalman said.

This aligns with the company’s commitment to donating 1% of adjusted net income to philanthropic endeavors focused on Community, Education, Arts, STEM, Environment, Human Rights, and Human Needs.

Asked what he hopes the event accomplishes, Saalman pointed to the local partnerships it strengthens.

“First, we hope it assists the local food banks to make significant impact for their clients,” he said. “And this will further build our relationship with the local food banks and MMM.”

In 2025, Kimball donated about $29,000 to hunger-related services through monetary and volunteer time donations, most of which benefited Dubois County and the Indianapolis area. The need for the least of these is great. According to Million Meal Movement, 1 in 5 Indiana children face food insecurity.

That’s one reason the Jasper Solutions event is packing mac and cheese.

“Everyone likes mac and cheese,” Scarlett smiled.