Midwest Food Bank Indiana starts ‘Under One Roof’ campaign for consolidated warehouse

INDIANAPOLIS — Midwest Food Bank Indiana is aiming to consolidate into one location – a new 50,000-square-foot warehouse – and is asking for the public’s help in funding the project.

The food bank recently launched its “Under One Roof” campaign, a $9 million initiative for the new warehouse. A news release states that the central location “aims to streamline operations, optimize logistics and maximize (the bank’s) impact on food insecurity” in Indiana.

The release said a lead gift of $4 million was provided by the Jean and Bernas Downing Charitable Trust, leading to an additional $1 million in pledges from churches, businesses and individuals. The Lilly Endowment also awarded $2 million to fund the initiative.

“This campaign is about so much more than bricks and mortar — it’s about people,” Diara Nicholson, the executive director of Midwest Food Bank Indiana, said in the release. “Every day, we face the challenge of operating out of two separate warehouses, which makes it harder to serve those who rely on us. A unified space means we can serve more families, support more volunteers, and respond more quickly when hunger strikes. This new building is a symbol of compassion in action — a place where hope is packed, sorted and delivered to those who need it most.”

Officials believe that a consolidation into one warehouse could “significantly” reduce overhead for the food bank, allowing the organization to “allocate more resources directly to food provision rather than administration.”

The release said that the food bank is researching the building specs and location for the new consolidated warehouse. For more information and to donate, click here.