Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana to hold new annual fundraising event

Indianapolis Colts to serve as presenting sponsor of inaugural event

Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana has announced its new annual fundraising event, Gleaners Huddle Against Hunger, presented by the Indianapolis Colts.

The event will be held on the field of Lucas Oil Stadium on Tuesday evening, Oct. 15. All net proceeds will go directly and solely to Gleaners Food Acquisition Fund to acquire food for Hoosiers facing hunger in Gleaners’ 21-county service area in central and south central Indiana.

The needs of people facing hunger are surging to well-above the record levels during the pandemic. As a result, Gleaners now must purchase nearly half of all food it provides people facing hunger, pushing its food acquisition budget from $2 million in 2019 to $7.7 million this year. Gleaners can buy about nine times what a dollar buys at a grocery store, and every dollar Gleaners receives can provide up to eight meals to people facing hunger.

“This event will be a unique opportunity to highlight the successful efforts being undertaken to fight hunger in our community and raise much-needed funds that will go directly to purchasing nutritious, high-quality food for our food-insecure neighbors,” Gleaners President & CEO Fred Glass said.

“As food insecurity and food deserts continue to be a challenge in our communities, organizations like Gleaners need our support more than ever before,” said Colts Owner & CEO Jim Irsay, an Honorary Chair for the event. “The Colts and Gleaners have a long history of partnership, and now we’re honored to join together again to raise vital funding to feed our friends, fans and neighbors in need.”

Guests will enjoy an action-packed, gameday-like atmosphere with complimentary food and beverage, free parking, on field activities, historic memorabilia from The Jim Irsay Collection, and engagement with the Indianapolis Colts. Premium sponsors and their guests will have a Colts Locker Room experience prior to the main event.

Sponsors already committed include:

• Presenting Sponsor: Indianapolis Colts
• Platinum Sponsors: Bank of America, Corteva Agriscience, DEEM, Group1001, Kroger, Lucas Oil, Marian, Inc., The Heritage Group
• Gold Sponsors: The Ackerman Foundation, Audiochuck, Cook Medical, Delta Faucet, Elanco, Ice Miller LLP, MAVPAK, OneAmerica Financial, Irwin R. Rose & Co. LLC
• Silver Sponsors: AES Indiana, CareSource, Citizens Energy Group, Coke Consolidated, CSO, Dentons, Dorsey Foundation, Eskenazi Health Foundation, Hulman & Company Foundation Inc., Huntington Bank, Indianapolis Business Journal, IU Health, JD Finish Line Foundation, MHS, Roche Diagnostics, Shiel Sexton, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, Sport Graphics, West Fork Whiskey Co., Zink Distributing
• Bronze Sponsors: Allison Transmission, Andy Mohr Automotive Group, Apex Benefits, Barnes & Thornburg LLP, Charles Schwab, Community Health Network, Eli Lilly and Company, EXOS, First Merchants Bank, Otto N. Frenzel IV, Goelzer Investment Management, Indiana Farm Bureau, Indiana Reclamation and Excavating
• Honorary Event Chairs: Joe Breen (RMA Advisors), Andy Crask (Bank of America), Geordan Coleman (Bank of America), Scott Davison (OneAmerica Financial), Erin Dorsey (Dorsey Foundation), Gary Edwards (DEEM), Laura and Tony George, Jim Irsay (Indianapolis Colts), Colleen Juergensen (Kroger), Milele Kennedy (Gennesaret Free Clinic), Katie and Morgan Lucas (Lucas Oil), Joy Mason (Optimist Business Solutions) and Tony Mason (Indianapolis Urban League), Jackie Morris, Sara Fehsenfeld Morris (The Heritage Group), Dennis Murphy (IU Health), Bill Shrewsberry (Shrewsberry & Associates LLC), Jeff Simmons (Elanco), Jeff Smulyan (Emmis Communications), John Thompson (Thompson Distribution Co. Inc), Cassidy and Dan Towriss (Group1001), Roberta and Bill Witchger (Marian Inc.)

A limited number of general admission tickets will be available for the main event. Some sponsorship opportunities also remain available. Contact glowry@gleaners.org for more information.