• Elanco Foundation leads challenge with a gift of $400,000, the first from its recently-formed foundation
  • The Heritage Group stepped up and matched that $400,000 gift
  • Corteva Agriscience, the IU Health Foundation, and Telamon have also joined the challenge with financial gifts over and above what was already committed in 2020
  • Additional Corporate Champions invited to join the Hunger Relief Partnerships
  • The funds come at a critical time for Gleaners as the state’s largest food bank is dealing with significantly increased need due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Indianapolis – Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana and the Elanco Foundation have launched the #FillTheBanks Hunger Relief Challenge, recognizing the urgent need for corporate philanthropy during this health pandemic. With an aggressive goal of $1.6 million, the challenge, if successful, will fully fund 8 weeks of emergency food boxes to Indianapolis Public Schools families. As the program is already running, the goal is to close out the challenge by April 10.

Gleaners and IPS have partnered to pack and distribute weekly boxes to IPS families in need. At current levels of demand, up to 10,000 boxes are being distributed weekly. The boxes are filled with shelf-stable food and meal-making staples.

“All of us are being affected in one way or another by this health pandemic,” said John Elliott, Gleaners President/CEO. “Most concerning of all, are the children and families who rely on free and reduced meals at school. With schools closed and meals not available on a daily basis, we were asked to help fill that gap, and were pleased to do so.”

As public demand has exceeded the supply of retail grocers, shelves have emptied. This has also impacted Gleaners’ ability to purchase food at reduced costs from food manufacturers. This means Gleaners will need to purchase food at higher cost than is typical for the food bank.

“As a newly-formed foundation, we are pleased the Elanco Foundation can help Gleaners ensure Indianapolis’ schoolchildren and their families are fed during this time of uncertainty,” said Jeff Simmons, president and CEO, Elanco Animal Health and member of the Elanco Foundation Board. “Such an unprecedented time underscores the critical importance of safe, affordable food. We are grateful for our fellow Corporate Champions, The Heritage Group, Corteva Agriscience, IU Health, and Telamon, and look forward to adding more corporate leaders to this urgent effort to make Indianapolis food secure.”

The #FillTheBanks Hunger Relief Challenge comes at a critical time for Gleaners. As the state’s largest hunger relief organization, anxious families are turning to Gleaners in record numbers. Families served at the Gleaners Community Cupboard’s modified drive-through distributions have more than doubled in the last two weeks. Expanded mobile pantries in rural areas are feeding triple the usual number.
“The Heritage Group is proud to partner on this collective effort to support our community,” said Amy Schumacher, President of The Heritage Group. “One of our core values is to do the right thing – always – even in the face of a crisis. Providing food to families in need through an incredible community partner like Gleaners is the right thing to do. We are grateful to come together as a team with other local businesses to impact our community in a powerful way.”

“I am so proud of our employees,” said Elliott. When confronted with a challenge, Gleaners staff overhauled their distribution system in a matter of hours. Daily huddles occur to share information, challenges, and needs across the organization with staff pitching in to work in unfamiliar roles. “I’ve said repeatedly over the years that I work with the number one food banking team in the country. This point has been driven home again and again as we navigate this crisis together.”

In addition to regular distributions at its warehouse, Gleaners provides mobile pantries throughout its 21-county service area. Those pantries began distributing emergency boxes this week. Gleaners anticipates distributing up to 20,000 boxes throughout its network of agencies, mobile pantries, and other programs.

Elliott anticipates need remaining high, if not increasing in the coming days and weeks. “We’re on pace right now to need an additional $500,000 each week in order to meet the needs of our clients and area school children,” he said.