Donors and volunteers gathered at the Colts Complex for ‘Food for Thought’.

Massive thanks to the Indianapolis Colts for providing us a space to discuss the many facets of hunger during our fourth Food For Thought breakfast this morning! 

Our CEO Fred Glass said it best: Gleaners isn’t in the hunger relief business. We’re in the poverty alleviation business. In front of a crowd of donors and volunteers, Glass shared how the realities of rising rental costs, coupled with the sunset of pandemic era benefits and inflation that outpaces wages, puts more of a financial burden on Hoosiers. 

In our fiscal year 2023, Gleaners distributed an all-time record 48 million meals throughout our 21-county service areas, a number that’s 17% higher than 2022 and 88% higher than the year before the pandemic. Barely halfway through fiscal year 2024, we already distributed more meals through our on-site pantry than we did in the entire record-setting year of FY2023.

The increase in need is something problem-solvers affiliated with Gleaners are working every day to solve. 

We would especially like to thank our insightful panelists Darilyn Bedel with Rush County Community Assistance, Tony Mason with the Indianapolis Urban League, Dr. Deanna Reinoso with Eskenazi Health and Jennifer Vigran with Glick Philanthropies, whose experience cultivating critical access points for nutrition, nurturing hunger relief efforts and providing solutions in the fight to alleviate poverty have proved invaluable to our neighbors and community over the years. 

Panelists Darilyn Bedel (Rush County Community Assistance), Tony Mason (Indianapolis Urban League), Dr. Deanna Reinoso (Eskenazi Health) and Jennifer Vigran (Glick Philanthropies).

Thank you all and thank you attendees for joining us! Gleaners’ outreach staff is available to explain SNAP eligibility and can help neighbors complete an application or re-certification over the phone. To get help, call 317-644-1280 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., or fill out a form here.