• Campaign launched July 2, 2020 with goals to increase awareness of food insecurity, drive engagement through advocacy and volunteerism, and inspire financial gifts.
  • Anthem Foundation issued a challenge match of $1 million with a goal to raise funds to provide the equivalent of 10 million meals.
  • Generous public response exceeded expectations, raising $1,857,450 in gifts and garnered over 1,400 new donors.
  • Anthem Associates donated over 700 hours of volunteer service offering a public show of support to the safety of volunteerism during the height of the pandemic.
  • Feeding America and the Anthem Foundation have awarded Gleaners a Food Is Medicine grant for the 2nd consecutive year, continuing to reward innovation and collaboration in addressing food insecurity as a key driver for chronic health conditions.

 

Announcement of the No One Runs On Empty awareness initiative featuring the 2020 Indy 500 livery

 

INDIANAPOLIS – Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana and the Anthem Foundation set a bold goal last July for hunger awareness: increase awareness of food insecurity, drive volunteerism and encourage financial contributions to provide the equivalent of 10 million meals by the end of 2020.

The effort was a success.

  • For every donation from the community the Anthem Foundation matched the donation, dollar-for-dollar, up to $1 million.
  • The public donated $1.8 million, and when combined with the Anthem Foundation’s matching grant, the funding provided the equivalent of more than 14 million meals, far exceeding the 10 million meal goal.
  • New donors, volunteers and advocates got involved, including 1,400 new financial donors who gave during the campaign.
  • Volunteerism increased thanks to Anthem associates’ participation in two food distributions at their downtown Indianapolis headquarters. And when on-site volunteerism returned to the Gleaners warehouse, Anthem associates were among the first to sign up. More than 200 Anthem associates gave 776 hours of service at Gleaners during 2020.

 

Volunteers load food into cars at drive-thru distribution hosted by Anthem.

John Elliott, Gleaners President/CEO noted that partners such as Anthem have made all the difference in the organization’s ability to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in as many as four times the number of households seeking food assistance, many for the first time.

“Mission partners like Anthem Foundation have been with us before the pandemic, working with us to close the meal gap by addressing food insecurity’s direct correlation with other poverty indicators, particularly health. Their focus on the concept of food as medicine, is ongoing. At the same time, they understood the opportunity presented by the No One Runs on Empty initiative and stepped up to fund the launch of that campaign. The success of that launch – from volunteerism to advocacy to the $1.8 million in inspired giving – is a direct result of the leadership role Anthem plays in our community, and their willingness to come alongside us at a critical time for our food bank.”

The partnership continues with the recent announcement that Gleaners has received a grant from the Anthem Foundation related to their Food Is Medicine program. Gleaners, in partnership with Eskenazi Health, will utilize grant funding received to screen Eskenazi patients for food insecurity. Those with health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease may be eligible to receive a customized Family Meal Box via Gleaners Fresh2Go Home Delivery program.

The Anthem Foundation’s comprehensive effort to fight hunger also includes an initiative with LISC Indianapolis to create a systemic plan to address food insecurity in neighborhoods that make up the Northeast Corridor of Indianapolis.

There were more than 1 million Hoosiers who were food insecure, with an unacceptable 150 million meal per year gap prior to COVID-19. That number is dramatically higher now as a result of the pandemic. The current food insecurity rate in Indiana is estimated at 20%, up from 13.3%.

“As a longtime member of the local business community, Anthem is very familiar with the generous spirit of Indianapolis residents,” said Shantanu Agrawal, M.D., Chief Health Officer of Anthem, Inc. “With food insecurity affecting 1 out of 5 people in Marion County, we are pleased to join with area residents and partner with Gleaners and other organizations who share our commitment to addressing this critical driver of health.”

The No One Runs on Empty campaign continues as an awareness initiative. Learn more at gleaners.org.

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About Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Inc.
Gleaners was founded in 1980 and is a respected leader within Feeding America the nation’s food bank network. Since that time, Gleaners has distributed more than 600 billion pounds of food and critical grocery products through more than 300 hunger relief agencies, schools and

community partners serving needy Hoosiers. In addition to food distribution to agencies, we serve our most vulnerable populations, seniors and children, through specialty programs such as School-Based Pantries, Mobile Pantries, Summer Meals for Kids, and Senior Hunger Initiative programs. Charity Navigator has recognized Gleaners as a 4-Star organization, the highest rating for charity demonstrating fiscal management and accountability. In addition, Gleaners is an accredited charity with the Better Business Bureau, and has earned a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar. To learn more, visit www.gleaners.org.

About Anthem, Inc.
Anthem is a leading health benefits company dedicated to improving lives and communities, and making healthcare simpler. Through its affiliated companies, Anthem serves more than 108 million people, including more than 42 million within its family of health plans. We aim to be the most innovative, valuable and inclusive partner. For more information, please visit www.antheminc.com or follow with @AnthemInc on Twitter.

About Anthem Foundation
The Anthem Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Anthem, Inc. and through charitable contributions and programs, the Foundation promotes the organization’s commitment to improving lives and communities. Through strategic partnerships and programs, the Foundation addresses the social drivers that will help create a healthier generation of Americans in communities that Anthem, Inc. and its affiliated health plans serve. The Foundation focuses its funding on critical initiatives that make up its Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative that targets: maternal health, diabetes prevention, cancer prevention, heart health and healthy, active lifestyles, behavioral health efforts and programs that benefit people with disabilities. The Foundation also coordinates the company’s year-round Dollars for Dollars program which provides a 100 percent match of associates’ donations, as well as its Volunteer Time Off and Dollars for Doers community service programs. To learn more about the Anthem Foundation, please visit http://www.anthem.foundation and its blog at https://medium.com/anthemfoundation.