Rokita visits Lafayette and discusses possible federal budget cuts

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita (R-Ind.) made a stop by Food Finders Food Bank in Lafayette Thursday to see the warehouse his office helped add to with a food drive last year.

The Republican Representative said his staff helped to donate more than 100 pounds of food to help feed local families. He said he wants community members to help each other out and not rely on government help so much.

"What we did over this last Christmas is decide to take on a project where we help people," Rokita said. "The government can't and shouldn't do everything, nor should we rely on the government to do all these things for us."

Food Finders executive director Katy Bunder said she's thankful for the congressman's donation and others like it, but she said moving more than 6 million pounds of food and providing more than 5 million meals in the 15 surrounding counties can't be done without government help.

"We depend so much on volunteers and on donated food, but we can't survive on donated food alone," Bunder said. "We're serving in Tippecanoe County about two million pounds of food, but the need is probably six million. Programs like WIC, SNAP and the free lunch program in the schools those make up the additional pounds and there's still a gap."

With more cuts to federal spending possible, Bunder said the need for food will increase in the area, but Rokita said if sequester goes into effect March 1 it will actually help the local economy.

"Cutting how much the government spends and living within our means again will help Purdue University because it's going to help the economy," Rokita said. "It's going to help all the way and all around Lafayette, Indiana, and this entire country."