Indiana nonprofit targets protein access to improve nutrition for food-insecure families

Access to protein matters for more than filling hungry mouths. Hatch's CEO Daniel Leckie frames the problem as one of nutrition security: many families who rely on charitable food systems can get calories but not enough high-quality protein. The Coalition to Close the Protein Gap works on the supply side—finding protein that currently lacks a strong domestic market and redirecting it to people who need it.

Hatch is building a program that identifies undervalued animal-protein products and routes them into the charitable food system. Specific product types called out include small and medium eggs, dark-meat chicken that more often gets exported, and small pigs that can be processed into ground pork. The organization is working with large commercial producers as well as farmer partners to create demand for these items domestically so they can be distributed through food banks and other hunger-relief outlets.

Hatch sets two clear targets: change children's eating habits by age 9 so protein becomes a normal part of diets early on, and close the protein gap nationwide within five years. The program emphasizes getting families access to protein-rich foods they will recognize and buy with their own funds or with government benefits such as SNAP and WIC after initial exposure through charitable sources.

• Product selection: Prioritize proteins that are currently undervalued or exported, and that can be repurposed affordably for domestic distribution.
• Supply partnerships: Work with the largest egg and meat producers to secure donation or discounted supply, while engaging local farmers to support domestic availability.
• Channel integration: Place protein into existing charitable food channels—food banks and pantries—so families who use those services can access higher-quality options.
• Demand-building: Use initial distribution to familiarize families with products so purchases with SNAP, WIC, or cash follow later.

Potential effects for families and the food system Short term: More protein available at food banks and pantries, giving families immediate access to nutrient-dense foods rather than primarily processed calories. Medium term: If families accept and continue to buy these products, demand could shift how producers value certain product classes, creating a sustained domestic market. Longer term: Changing eating habits among children could improve long-term health outcomes by increasing routine protein consumption in early life.

Hatch's framing emphasizes nutritional quality rather than simply delivering more calories. The initiative is targeted within the charitable food system and aims to create sustainable domestic markets for specific animal-protein products, rather than exporting those items or relying solely on short-term donations.

If you follow food security, nutrition policy, or agricultural supply chains, Hatch's work is a concrete effort to link producers and charitable food systems to shift both supply and demand for protein. The plan ties producer partnerships and product selection to measurable goals: earlier dietary habits for children and a nationwide gap-closure timeline of five years.