Gleaners Hosting Food Distribution Event

(photo courtesy of Gleaners Food Bank)

Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana is looking to help more families dealing with food insecurity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The food bank will Saturday host a drive-through food distribution event at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

Gleaners says in March and April, it distributed 13.8 million pounds of food, nearly 7 million pounds more than the same period last year. Throughout the food bank’s 21-county service area, about 30,000 emergency food boxes are being distributed weekly.

John Elliott, chief executive officer of Gleaners, says the ability to distribute fresh, perishable food has been among the most difficult challenges of responding to the pandemic.

“With many of our traditional partners either closed or reducing distributions, we have a bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables and frozen meats to share,” said Elliott. “As part of our strategic plan, we made a commitment to focus not just on the amount of food distributed but on the nutritional value of that food. That commitment is even more critical during a health crisis, because we know that food insecurity directly impacts the 10 most prevalent chronic health diseases and conditions – many of which put hungry Hoosiers at higher risk for contracting COVID-19.”

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Those wishing to receive food from the event are asked to enter through Gate 6 off of Fall Creek Parkway.