Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana celebrated the opening of its new facility, the Tom and Julie Wood Family Resource Center, May 29. Funded by the Wood Family Foundation, the center at 3737 Waldemere Ave. also will house several other nonprofits that help people in need.
Gleaners serves Hoosiers facing hunger and poverty. Billed as the first-of-its-kind “one-stop shop,” the facility is the only comprehensive resource center in the Feeding America Network of food banks, housing the nonprofit’s outreach team, a free clinic, legal aid and other nonprofit services, according to Gleaners.
“We talk a lot about trying to help people in two ways: By feeding the line — taking care of the people — but also shortening the line,” Gleaners President and CEO Fred Glass said during the grand opening celebration. “Some people will always need our help. About a third of the people we serve are either children, disabled or elderly, and we help them without stigma.”
Gennesaret Free Clinics, one of the nonprofits housed at the resource center, is one piece of the “one-stop shop” strategy. Executive Director Milele Kennedy said the goal is to break down barriers to wellness for the community.
“Today marks the beginning of a partnership that is grounded in dignity, health and hope,” Kennedy said. “We believe that no one should have to choose between putting food on their table or going to the doctor. We bring free, compassionate health care directly into this hub of food security and community connection. This clinic is here for individuals who have long been overlooked and underserved by our traditional health care system.”
The Marion County Public Health Department also will play a role in the operations of the resource center.
Dr. Virginia Caine, Marion County Public Health Commissioner, wants to inspire nationwide change through the unique efforts that will be made at the center.
“Truly, this is a model for the country to adopt for the incredible contributions we’re going to make to this community,” Caine said. “I’m privileged to lead the largest local public health department in the state, where we devote every day to trying to improve the lives (of the community) by focusing on better health outcomes. The only way to do it is that we’ve got to join forces in this community with incredible partners, and we’re going to provide nutrition education, breastfeeding support, supplemental food vouchers for pregnant and breastfeeding women and we’re also going to care for their children up to the age of 5.”
The Marion County Public Health Department’s WIC Mobile Clinic also will make regular appearances at the resource center to provide services in areas of the county that lack WIC Clinics.
“We also want to help our existing WIC Clinics on the days we have a high number of participants,” Caine said. “So, by having this program here, that will help get that reach.”
Ultimately, the goal for the center is to ensure that Marion County residents can live a healthy life, regardless of background.
“My hope is (not only) that more Marion County residents will live longer, healthier lives, but to see other states in this country adopt this very model,” Caine said. “Because we’re going to be one of the most successful counties in this community that knows how to protect our babies and protect our mothers. We want them to grow to be the greatest citizens that you can ever have in the community.”
In the inaugural year of the center during the 45th anniversary of the Gleaners Food Bank, she encouraged those who are in need to take advantage of the resources available.
“This clinic is here for individuals and families who have long been overlooked and underserved,” Kennedy said. “This is for the person who’s managing diabetes without health insurance. This is for the grandmother who needs dental care in order to be able to eat without pain. This is for the working woman who is trying to care for her family and, in that, neglects her health. This is for every neighbor that deserves to be seen and heard and cared for, no matter the circumstance.”
The new resource center houses Gennesaret Free Clinics; WIC Mobile Unit; SK Huffer & Associates free legal aid; CICOA Community Health Workers, who support older adults and people with disabilities; and the Indiana Justice Project, which can help with SNAP appeals and technical questions about the SNAP food program.
For more about the new resource center, visit gleaners.org/resource-center.
About Gleaners
According to its website, Gleaners Food Bank was founded in 1980 by a group of citizens who believed that no one should go hungry. Since then, it has become the largest hunger relief organization in Indiana.
“As one of 200-member food banks in the Feeding America Network, Gleaners provides nutritious food to roughly one-third of the food insecure population in Indiana,” the website states. “We achieve this through our own initiatives and by serving as a wholesale distributor through a committed network of more than 300 network partners in our 21-county service area.”
The service area includes Marion, Hamilton, Boone and Hancock counties.
In addition to distributing to partner food pantries, Gleaners operates its own drive-thru and mobile food pantries and offers home delivery for homebound Indianapolis residents.
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