Support Food Relief in Your Community

Beginning Nov. 1, nearly 600,000 Hoosiers who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will lose access to their benefits — including 150,000 of our Central Indiana neighbors.

We are deeply grateful for your partnership and the outpouring of requests on how to help. Together with our partners across Central Indiana, we’ve outlined several ways to ensure that no neighbor goes hungry during this critical time.

How to Support Food Relief

1. Donate to the Central Indiana Food Relief Fund.
   100% of the contributions to the Food Relief Fund, managed by United Way of Central Indiana, will be distributed to Gleaners, Midwest Food Bank, and Second Helpings. The fund was launched with a $500,000 donation from an anonymous donor, intended to encourage the community to match, or exceed, that amount. The Indianapolis Foundation, Lilly Endowment Inc., and the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation (Lilly Foundation) contributed, quickly meeting that match.  With your help, this fund will make an even greater impact.
   Complete this form to make a grant from your Donor Advised Fund (DAF).
2. Donate directly to a food pantry.
   Donate directly to Gleaners, Midwest Food Bank and Second Helpings.
   To directly support food pantries in Hamilton County, donate to Hamilton County Harvest Food Bank, which supports 40+ Hamilton County pantries and school programs.
   Visit Community Compass to see a comprehensive list of food support organizations that you can donate to directly.
   Complete this form to make a grant from your Donor Advised Fund (DAF).
3. Contact us for a personalized recommendation.
   There are many organizations throughout Central Indiana working to meet the food needs of our neighbors at this critical time. We can provide recommendations based on your specific interests and help facilitate gifts. Reach out to your philanthropic advisor to start the conversation.

More about Hunger in Central Indiana

The 2025 Survey of Food Assistance Need in Central Indiana, which will be released early next week, demonstrates that hunger is a region-wide struggle. This report is designed to put reliable, local data in the hands of people working on both immediate relief and long-term solutions. Rates of USDA-defined “very low” food security are statistically the same in Marion County and the surrounding eight counties—both at 37%—demonstrating that the need spans urban, suburban, and rural communities.

According to Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, for every one meal provided by Indiana’s hunger relief network, the federal government provides nine through SNAP and other nutrition assistance.

The survey also found that just over half of Central Indiana households experienced some level of food insecurity during the 2024 – 2025 study period. These gaps will likely worsen as federal food support diminishes.

Stay tuned to learn more from the report, which is produced by Indy Hunger Network and co-funded by the Office of Public Health and Safety and Central Indiana Community Foundation.

We’re Committed to Helping

The entities in the CICF Collaborative are committed to supporting both immediate relief and long-term solutions that address the hunger crisis in Central Indiana. Contact us to discuss more.

About the CICF Collaborative 

CICF Collaborative is a partnership of philanthropic organizations working together to strengthen communities across the region. Each entity within the CICF Collaborative (including the cornerstone entities, Central Indiana Community Foundation, Hamilton County Community Foundation, IMPACT Central Indiana, the Indianapolis Foundation, and Women’s Fund of Central Indiana) brings deep knowledge, strong relationships, and its own individual, focused mission. The CICF Collaborative unites the entities by providing shared services, allowing the entities to operate more efficiently and effectively. By leveraging what we each do best, we’re able to better serve our communities and create more lasting impact, together. Learn more »