HATCH Invests $850,000 Into to Fresh Connect Central Infrastructure to Expand Protein Access Nationwide

$750,000 Funds New Processing & Packaging Capacity at Fresh Connect Central; Added $100,000 in Freight Support Will Connect More Protein to Communities in Need

INDIANAPOLIS, IN, UNITED STATES, August 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- At last week’s Fresh Connect Central Power of Partnerships Conference, HATCH, one of the nation’s largest nonprofits addressing protein insecurity, announced a $750,000 investment in Fresh Connect Central — operated by Indianapolis-based Gleaners Food Bank — to expand critical protein processing and packaging infrastructure, including vertical bagging, cutting and grinding capabilities. These new capabilities will help ensure bulk shipments of protein can be cut, portioned and packaged into family-sized, ready-to-cook servings, which is a critical factor in determining whether or not product can be accepted at the food bank or pantry level.

HATCH is also providing an additional $100,000 in freight support to help move more protein through the charitable food system and into the hands of families who need it. Together, the investments represent an $850,000 commitment from HATCH to strengthen the infrastructure needed to make high-quality protein more accessible to food banks nationwide.

"This donation will allow significantly more protein to flow through the Feeding America network and to our neighbors in need. Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana and our social enterprise, Fresh Connect Central, are thrilled to be part of this initiative and look forward to the impact this donation and the resulting protein will have for people facing hunger" said Fred Glass, CEO at Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana.

These services will help transform available protein into formats that meet the wants and needs of food banks while improving efficiency throughout the supply chain. “Supply alone doesn’t close the gap. We need the infrastructure to move protein efficiently, affordably and at scale,” said Daniel Leckie, CEO of HATCH. “This investment into Fresh Connect is about building that infrastructure. By expanding processing and packaging capabilities and supporting the freight needed to move product, we can get more protein from American producers into the hands of food banks and ultimately the families they serve.”

For families facing hunger, protein is often the hardest food to come by and the first thing cut when budgets run short. Every dollar of infrastructure funded through this investment translates into pounds of protein that will reach a family’s table. By closing the gap between what producers can supply and what food banks can actually process and distribute, HATCH and Fresh Connect Central are making sure that gap closes for good, one protein-rich meal at a time.

ABOUT HATCH

Founded in 2015, HATCH is on a mission to make lasting access to complete nutrition a reality for every community. Through partnerships with hunger relief organizations nationwide, HATCH helps deliver fresh, high-quality protein to families who need it most—creating stability, dignity, and nourishment where it’s often hardest to find. Guided by its “1, 2, 3 Vision,” HATCH is building a future where nutritious food is not a privilege, but a shared foundation for stronger, healthier generations to come. Follow HATCH on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

ABOUT GLEANERS

Gleaners was founded in 1980 and is a respected leader within Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network. Since that time, Gleaners has distributed more than 1.1 billion pounds of food and critical grocery products through a network of three hundred hunger relief agencies, schools, and community partners serving Hoosiers facing hunger. In addition to food distribution to agencies, we serve our most vulnerable populations, seniors, and children, through specialty programs such as Gleaners2Go, School-Based Pantries, and Mobile Pantries. Since 2017, Gleaners has operated Fresh Connect Central, a social enterprise dedicated to sourcing and distributing produce, protein, dairy, and dry goods for the wider hunger relief network. In addition, comprehensive outreach services are offered to help reduce the line at the Tom and Julie Wood Family Resource Center, located on our campus. Gleaners is certified as a Good Wages Initiative Employer by EmployIndy. Charity Navigator has recognized Gleaners as a 4-Star organization, the highest rating for charity demonstrating fiscal management and accountability. In addition, Gleaners is an accredited charity with the Better Business Bureau and has earned a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar. Gleaners was recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the Best Places to Work in for the past two years. To learn more visit www.gleaners.org.

Hannah Kruger-Burton
HATCH For Hunger
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