Irsay’s $1M Matching Challenge for Gleaners Exceeded

(photo courtesy of Gleaners Food Bank)

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Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana now has an extra $1.2 million and change to help put food on the tables of families impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, as the community responded to challenge by Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay.

Irsay issued a challenge on Monday to the community saying if Gleaners received $200,000 in donations, he would match it with a $1 million gift.

The organization says within a day, the goal was reached.

“The Hoosier state is known for its generosity,” said John Elliott, President and chief executive officer of Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana. “This overwhelming response exceeded our expectations. We were confident we would achieve the goal but did not expect to do so in less than 24 hours.”

The biggest single gift came from The Mind Trust, an Indianapolis-based education nonprofit. It donated $100,000.

“Our community has a history of banding together during difficult times,” said Brandon Brown, CEO of The Mind Trust. “During this unprecedented moment, The Mind Trust is committed to doing our part to ensure that children and families in Marion County have access to basic needs while our community takes the necessary precautions to keep our neighbors healthy.”

Gleaners says the gifts have come at a critical time, as families are turning to the food relief organization in record numbers. “Our distribution today, which would normally serve 350-400 families, distributed nearly 1200 emergency boxes by the end of the day,” said Elliott.

Brown says Gleaners and The Mind Trust share a goal to equip young children with the tools they need, whether it’s food for their minds or their bodies.

The Mind Trust says beyond the initial $100,000 gift, it is issuing a call to its existing donors to provide additional resources to support the organization’s ongoing efforts to support students and families impacted by COVID-19.