Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana has organized a free, drive-through food pantry from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at Cummins Inc. Fuel Systems plant at 1460 N. National Road in Columbus.
The outreach is especially important now amid local business and plant closings and resulting job and income losses because of a statewide stay-at-home directive because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The need for food is significant enough that the Bull Dog food pantry at Columbus North High School ran out of food Friday after serving 200 Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. families, according to coordinator Tonya Cruser. The week before that, East’s pantry served a record 192 families.
And Love Chapel, the largest local pantry, is seeing increasing demand, according to Kelly Daugherty, executive director.
Gleaners, an Indianapolis-based nonprofit, regularly spearheads mobile pantries locally, and donates food to existing local food banks at Columbus East and Columbus North high schools. And the Salvation Army pantry and Love Chapel locally regularly purchase food from Gleaners.
But this month, Gleaners has given the Salvation Army a grant for food, according to Salvation Army leader, Capt. Amy Tompkins.
“The more food in the county, the better,” Daugherty said.
Gleaners’ mobile pantries are meant to supplement families’ needs, according to Sarah Estell, Gleaners senior director of communications and digital strategy.
She said organizers were preparing enough food for about 600 people. Distribution will include 25-pound boxes that include everything from meat to produce. She estimated that it generally would be enough food for a few days for some families.
People also can pick up food for someone who is ill or cannot get out, according to Estell.
No ID or proof of residency is required.
The need for food among families served by Gleaners that a food distribution nearly two weeks ago at its warehouse in Indianapolis had to be shut down early because it clogged traffic near I-465, according to Estell.
Gleaners distributes food to 210 partner agencies in 21 Indiana counties for pantries, soup kitchens and shelters, according to its website at gleaners.org.
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What: Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana free drive-through food pantry
When: 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, rain or shine
Where: Cummins Inc. Fuel Systems Plant at 1460 N. National Road in Columbus
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