Eli Lilly and Company launched an initiative on May 12 to support nationwide food distribution as part of the company’s 150th anniversary through support of various community organizations.
Local organizations such as HATCH, United Way of Central Indiana and the Pacers Foundation are among Lilly’s partners for this initiative.
“As we mark 150 years, we’re focused on what comes next — not just in medicine, but in how we advance health. Access to nutritious food is foundational. We’re proud to support the organizations doing this work — including their efforts to build infrastructure that feeds families long after this anniversary year,” said Melissa Coe, associate vice president for social impact and community engagement for Lilly, in a statement.
HATCH is an Indiana-based nonprofit with expertise in charitable protein distribution and cold storage infrastructure.
HATCH will contribute commercial-grade refrigeration systems to 150 food pantries, addressing a significant protein-access gap and providing an estimated five million protein-rich meals annually for those in need.
“Without the right infrastructure, it’s hard to get nutritious food to families in need consistently. One of the biggest challenges food pantries face is having the systems in place to properly store and distribute nutrient-dense food,” said Daniel Leckie, CEO of HATCH. “We’re grateful to Lilly for their willingness to support HATCH and its charitable efforts related to a long-term solution that will continue serving families long after this initiative ends.”
In Indianapolis and Boone County, the initiative will also support United Way of Central Indiana’s involvement in supporting charitable food distribution at Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana and Second Helpings, two nonprofit hunger-relief organizations that distribute food to agencies and community partners across Central and Southeastern Indiana.
Across 14 additional communities, United Way Worldwide will coordinate charitable food distribution and associated volunteer opportunities for Lilly employees.
“In Central Indiana, we see every day how access to nutritious food shapes health, stability and opportunity. We’re grateful for Lilly’s leadership [in]supporting organizations involved in charitable food distribution efforts and proud to work alongside other community members to meet immediate food needs while strengthening the infrastructure that will support our neighbors in need for years to come,” said Fred Payne, president and CEO of United Way of Central Indiana.
United Way of Central Indiana is a nonprofit organization that works to reduce poverty and improve financial stability across Central Indiana. It serves seven counties — Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan and Putnam — by funding programs, convening partners and supporting initiatives focused on basic needs, education, housing and economic mobility.
Lilly is also supporting the Pacers Foundation and its expansion of the Drive & Dish program to three new sites in Marion and Boone Counties over five years. Drive & Dish is an initiative of the Pacers Foundation, delivered in partnership with Gleaners Food Bank, that helps families in need by making healthy food more accessible while prioritizing dignity and choice.
The initiative supported by Lilly will continue throughout the year as the organizations carry out deliveries and food distributions, alongside ongoing Lilly employee volunteer opportunities — culminating in Lilly’s annual Global Day of Service in September.
The efforts of the organizations supported by the initiative span 15 communities such as Indianapolis, Houston and Huntsville among others.
Visit lilly.com for more information.
Contact Staff Writer Malik Simon at 317-762-7847.
Malik Simon is a Staff Writer for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Memphis, TN, he graduated from Mississippi Valley State University with a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies concentrating on journalism. Before joining the Recorder, he wrote for the Devil’s Gazette newspaper at MVSU and served as a freelance content and video editor. He seeks to use media to help communities flourish through literacy and factual reporting.
