A volunteer crew from the Center for the Performing Arts spent the afternoon of Nov. 16 assisting in the anti-hunger efforts of Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana – a state where one in five residents experiences food insecurity.
The Gleaners distribution center on Indianapolis’ southwest side buys produce, meat, packaged foods and other items directly from farmers and manufacturers to stock its on-site pantry and to share through partner organizations in 21 counties in central and southeastern Indiana. Since the start of the pandemic, the organization has added home delivery, drive-thru pickup and other services to continue serving clients.
The CPA volunteers began their day on an assembly line, packing home-delivery boxes with a collection of items designed to feed a family: canned fruits and vegetables, spaghetti, rice, flour, pancake mix and more. Joined by a few other volunteers, they packed more than 500 boxes – enough to serve 1,700 meals.
The next shift was at the pantry, where the volunteers cleaned up after closing time and restocked shelves, coolers and freezers.
The service trip was organized by the Center’s Employee Volunteer Committee and included staffers from production, development, marketing, programming, events, patron services and other departments.
