The number of families in need has significantly increased, according to Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana

Indianapolis, Indiana – Although economic indicators point to a robust state of affairs, hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers are facing hardships, according to President and CEO Fred Glass.

“In our fiscal year 2023, ending in September, Gleaners distributed a record 48 million meals throughout our 21-county service area, 17% higher than the last year and 88% higher than the year before the pandemic. Since June, the number of households we’re serving just at our on-site pantry has increased by nearly 28%.”

Glass said Gleaners budgeted $7.7 million to purchase food in 2023. This is the highest in the organization’s 43-year history. “Despite having conservatively planned this year for a significant increase in our food budget, our recent distributions are running well over that increased budget. My big concern is that even this record budget may not be enough,” Glass explained.

More individuals are turning to food banks throughout the nation for donations. 44 million Americans, or around one in seven, live in families where there is food insecurity, including one in five children, according to the USDA report from October 2023 on household food insecurity in the United States in 2022.

“We hear from our neighbors that while the vast majority are working, sometimes more than one job, their wages simply aren’t sufficient to meet the family’s basic needs,” said Glass. “Of those needs – such as housing, utilities, childcare, and health care — food is the most accessible and flexible to successfully address. If a neighbor goes to one of our pantries, they will receive food. This not only helps them meet their immediate need to eat but can free up time and resources to help them pay their rent, keep on their lights, and buy medicine.”

Several food deliveries are offered by Gleaners to assist in feeding the hungry. To find out more about hunger in your area and how you can help, visit gleaners.org.