Indianapolis Food Security Coalition Gives Update

An Indianapolis City County Council Community Affairs committee received an update on a collaborative project to address food security in the city.

Local groups launched the Food Secure Indy initiative during the pandemic. The coalition works to find community-based solutions to food insecurity -- including shared, best-practice methods to close access gaps.

Indianapolis City-County Councilor Keith Graves said everyone working on food security in the city should get involved.

“When we see cities like Indianapolis that do have that public and private and nonprofit partnership, I think we’re setting ourselves up for success,” Graves said.

Food Secure Indy partners with local organizations that include Gleaners Food Bank and Indianapolis Public Schools.

Animal health company Elanco Foundation spearheads the effort. The company plans the move of its headquarters to Indianapolis.

Margie Craft, Senior Advisor at Elanco Animal Health, said this past year underlined the need for everyone to prioritize food security.

“Now is the time for change, and not just incremental change -- but really big, impactful, systemic change, and we are ripe for doing something like that,” Craft said.

The company asked councilors to connect it with more existing resources and groups already doing this work.