Capital Campaign to Help Feed the Hungry
Capital Campaign to Help Feed the Hungry
8/4/2010
Gleaners Launches $11.6 Million
Capital Campaign to Help Feed the Hungry
Contact: Pamela Altmeyer, President & CEO • 317-925-0191 ext. 111
Debbie Wilson, Director of Public Relations • 317-925-0191 ext. 117
Indianapolis —Gleaners Food Bank today launched its first major capital campaign since it was founded in Indianapolis in 1980. This campaign will allow Gleaners to dramatically expand its operations to feed the hungry throughout 21 Indiana counties.
“We have been humbled by unbelievable Hoosier generosity,” stated Jim Morris, Campaign Chair and President of Pacers Sports and Entertainment. “In these challenging economic times, Hoosiers have responded by making gifts that will not benefit them personally, but which will help fellow human beings. Hoosiers are truly compassionate,” he added.
Mark Miles, Campaign Vice Chair and President/CEO of Central Indiana Corporate Partnership stated that “we are especially grateful for gifts of $1 million or more that we have received from Lilly Endowment along with a generous gift from the Melvin & Bren Simon Foundation.”
Miles also stated that “we have also received major six-figure commitments from noted corporations and foundations in the area including Indianapolis Power & Light, Eli Lilly & Company, Chase Bank, Deem, LLC, and the Efroymson Family Fund at the Central Indiana Community Foundation.”
At the campaign kickoff, Bob Moeder, President, Central Division of Kroger announced a $100,000 Challenge Grant. Kroger will match one dollar for every two dollars contributed to the campaign. He stated “Kroger has partnered with Gleaners for 28 of their 30 years in existence to help feed the hungry. We are extremely proud to make this gift to assist a vital agency that serves our community and the State of Indiana,” he added.
To date, $8.25 million has been raised toward Gleaners’ $11.6 million capital campaign target– 71 percent of the goal.
Gleaners was founded in 1980 by a group of citizens who were concerned about hunger and seized the opportunity to create a food bank for Indiana. Gleaners originally started out in a three-and-a-half-car garage.
Gleaners partners with over 350 charities providing hunger relief, including emergency food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters in a 21-county service area in Central and Southeastern Indiana.
The charities are IRS-certified not-for-profits and include emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, shelters for battered women and children, daycare centers, senior centers, residential care centers, and youth programs. Two-thirds of these charitable agencies are faith-based nonprofits. Food donations come from federal and state governments; major wholesale and retail food outlets including Quaker Oats, Kroger, Wal-Mart and others; and through major food drives conducted by the Indianapolis Colts, the Letter Carriers/U.S. Postal Service, other corporations, service clubs and fraternal organizations. Last year, Gleaners distributed the equivalent of 18 million meals to charitable agencies feeding hungry Hoosiers. Within its 21-county service area, an estimated 160,900 different people were served at the over 350 charities that partner with Gleaners. Half of those served were youngsters and senior citizens.
Currently, according to statistics provided by Gleaners, there is a serious hunger crisis in Indiana. According to the most recent census estimates, over 240,000 people live in poverty in Gleaners’ 21-county service area, an increase of 57 percent since 2000.
One of every four children in Marion County lives in poverty. Eight out of 10 students in Indianapolis Public Schools receive free or reduced-cost lunches.
Over the years, as the need grew, Gleaners expanded. Each time there has been a dramatic rise in need, Gleaners has helped the community meet the challenge.
Many volunteers from throughout the community are assisting with The Campaign For Gleaners. A “Blue Ribbon Committee” consisting of nearly four-dozen community leaders has been involved in planning, campaign preparations, and fundraising since 2008.
Ronald E. Talbot, Board Chair and Senior VP at Indianapolis Power & Light, stated, “We are grateful for the leadership and support that we have received from the Blue Ribbon Committee to help raise funds. They have given generously of their time, talents and precious financial resources. I know the new facility will allow Gleaners to fulfill its mission to bring food and hope into the lives of our neighbors everyday with the belief that one day we will eliminate hunger here in our community.”
The Campaign For Gleaners will allow the agency to purchase and re-locate to a 297,000-square-footfood warehouse located near the Indianapolis Airport. For the last 25 years Gleaners had been located in an 83,000-square-foot building at 1102 East 16th Street. Their new building has over three times the floor space of the antiquated and undersized former warehouse. To prepare for this campaign, the Board of Directors assessed Gleaners’ additional space requirements and developed a strategic plan to position Gleaners to meet future community needs. After extensive analysis of available options, it was determined that the greatest economic efficiencies would be gained by purchasing an existing warehouse building.
After conducting an exhaustive search during 2007 and 2008, no up-to-date, affordable and available warehouse facility was found. However, in late 2008, as a result of the economic downturn, an ideal existing warehouse property became available under exceptionally favorable terms from Monarch Beverage.
The energy-efficient, high cube, temperature controlled warehouse allows maximum storage and has a built-in 35,000- square-foot commercial refrigeration unit that is more than adequate for Gleaners’ food storage needs. The building also contains four drive-through distribution bays, one wash bay, maintenance bays, interior truck storage space, locker rooms, a cafeteria, office space and up-to-date interior and exterior security systems.
Located at 3737 Waldemere Avenue, the 17-acre site is just east of I-465 on the southwest side of Indianapolis and just north of Kentucky and Hanna Avenues. There is ready access to both I-465 and I-70. The site includes plenty of parking for employees and volunteers.
Gleaners will commence operations from their new facility on Monday, April 19. Fundraising will continue until the $11.6 million goal has been achieved.