April is Volunteer Appreciation Month and we’re proud to shout out our dedicated volunteers, whose generous giving of time and energy help our neighbors access nutritious food. In 2023, Gleaners distributed an astonishing 48 million meals across 21 counties. As many neighbors struggle to make ends meet after the expiration of pandemic-era benefits and amid rising inflation and rent costs, volunteers continue stepping up to fill a critical need. Every volunteer counts. Just one hour of service helps distribute 233 meals to our neighbors. Volunteer contribution at Gleaners is so tremendous, we ..read more

  Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, the Athletic Club Foundation has bestowed an honor upon Gleaners President & CEO Fred Glass that has nothing to do with fighting food insecurity in Indiana. The organization announced Glass has been named the 2024 Irish Citizen of the Year. The annual award goes to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of their Irish heritage through service to Indianapolis, to their family and other selfless acts that personify being Irish. Glass’ dedication to service can be traced back to his time as a young boy in his father’s bar, helping to feed the hun ..read more

Gleaners received a $150,000 grant from Glick Philanthropies to go toward a new truck and our mobile pantry program across central Indiana. Glick Philanthropies is a family of charitable initiatives. The initiatives focus on building community and creating opportunity so every person can reach their full potential. Gleaners is one of 39 nonprofit organizations that received a grant from Glick Philanthropies totaling more than $2 million. Gleaners currently hosts nearly 40 mobile pantries across its 21-county service area. Just like Gleaners’ onsite distribution, the mobile pantries suppl ..read more

With 48 million meals distributed in our 21-county service area, 2023 was a record-breaking year for Gleaners. It didn’t come as a surprise. We’ve as pandemic-era benefits expire, with our neighbors still struggling to make ends meet due to inflation, rent increases, and stagnant wages. There is plenty to be proud of from fiscal year 2023. Gleaners and Fresh Connect Central distributed 99.3 million meals. Our network partner pantries helped distribute more than 31 million meals across our 21 counties. Nearly 80% of all distributed food was fresh produce, whole grains, lean protein, and dairy ..read more

Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana received a grant from Feeding America and CVS Health that will allow us to continue providing quality, nutritious foods to our neighbors in need. CVS Health has a longtime partnership with Feeding America, giving the pharmacy opportunities to give grant awards that align with its commitment to advancing health equity. Thanks to generous donations from CVS Pharmacy customers, Gleaners is able to continue in our mission in being leaders in the fight against hunger. The $109,000 grant will go toward food acquisition costs, which have continued to rise since the COVID ..read more

What does it take to run a food bank? A small but mighty staff and an incredible amount of community support keep our food bank up and running. Did you know Gleaners has more than 100 times more volunteers than employees? 2023 employees – 108 2023 volunteers – 14,537 Each month, we need around 1,800 volunteers on projects like our drive-thru food pantry, Gleaners 2 Go, and our warehouse. We welcome you to join our incredible crew of volunteers in 2024! You can volunteer as an individual or with your family, or request a time to serve with a group of people. Sign up now. 2023 Year in Review Ch ..read more

As 2023 nears its end, Gleaners is seeing a spike in need across its 21-county service area. The uptick started in the summer, and Gleaners has seen the trend continue into the holiday season. “In our fiscal year 2023, ending in September, Gleaners distributed an all-time record 48 million meals throughout our 21-county service area, 17% higher than the last year and 88% higher than the year before the pandemic,” said Gleaners President & CEO Fred Glass. “Since June, the number of households we’re serving just at our own on-site pantry has increased by nearly 28%.” Households served at Gl ..read more

In 2023, Gleaners continued to serve our neighbors as food costs soared and other factors pushed more people to seek help through food banks. Between stagnant wages and rent and utility increases, it’s more challenging than ever to meet the need. But we are committed to not just shortening the line, but providing other resources for our neighbors in need. At Gleaners, it’s not enough just to feed the people in our pantry lines. We are not in the charitable food business. We are in the poverty alleviation business, armed with food. That’s why we cherish the strong community partnerships w ..read more

Volunteer in January While the holiday season is a favorite time of the year to volunteer, food insecurity is year-round. We need around 1,200 volunteers just in January to keep our programs running. We still have 50 spaces available for Gleaners 2 Go order fulfillment and 300 spaces available in our drive-thru food pantry. Both programs are vital to ensuring our neighbors receive the nutritious food they need. Please consider signing up to volunteer to ensure there’s no impact on our ability to serve our neighbors. Upcoming available shifts — Tuesday, Jan. 2 –&n ..read more

Our neighbors showed up in a big way to attend a health & essentials resource fair, hosted by Gleaners and community partners. The fair featured free doctor’s visits on Gennesaret Free Clinics’ mobile medical unit, SNAP application assistance from Gleaners’ outreach staff, free winter items for kids and adults, free flu and COVID shots, plus several other services. Path4You offered education about birth control access for women, and Indiana WIC was on hand to provide application information. More than 300 families came out to receive toiletry items and hygiene kits, along with winter coat ..read more