Designing

Efficient Food Delivery

Next gen logistics for the food pantry ecosystem in Indianapolis

SEE OUR WORK

working

with pantries

How do pantry workers distribute food?

View case study from Southeast Food Pantry

Researching

Logistics

How do pantries source food for distribution?

View case study from God's Bounty Food Pantry

001

RESEARCH

Indiana University Indianapolis has been working with the Toyota Mobility Foundation and many community partners to research the linkages between hunger & mobility since 2020.

002

Ideate

In the Spring of 2025, leaders from the food pantry ecosystem gathered to ideate about the logistics of food distribution and create prototypes for more efficient food delivery.

003

OPTIMIZE

Our next step is to identify the resources we need and begin to implement and test elements of our prototype, working to optimize logistics in for the 210 pantries that operate in Indianapolis.

We're working together to increase the efficient, effective delivery of food to those in need.

THE TEAM

Amy Perry-Goldsmith

Facilitator, Herron IU Indianapolis

Ashley Acuff

Blue Team, Nine13 Logistics

Wilmary Ortiz

Blue Team, John Boner Center

Avishkar Shinde

Co-Facilitator, Luddy IU Indianapolis

Andy Perry

Blue Team, Curvo

Sampada Taralgatti

Blue Team, Luddy IU Indianapolis

Samar Adhikari

Co-Facilitator, Luddy IU Indianapolis

Lindsey Welch

Blue Team, Gleaners

Eric Rowe

Green Team, Gleaners

Andres Tovar

Green Team, Purdue Indianapolis

Aastha Bisen

Green Team, Luddy IU Indianapolis

Amber Clark

Green Team, IMPACT Center

Angel Calvert

Green Team, Indy Hunger Network

TESTIMONIALS

Real solutions are needed to assist pantries and reduce food barriers. If these workshops can be followed up with implementation, they [will] be much more valuable...My hope is that one of these prototypes comes to fruition and is actually helpful to getting food to pantries.

Angel calvert, indy hunger network

A key aspect of the workshop was the quality and diverse backgrounds of the participants. Working with food delivery professionals and academic researchers was a fantastic experience.

andres tovar, purdue university

I hope that the food space in Indy can work together to implement some of these ideas. During the [Indy] Hunger Network Food Summit, we spoke with many pantries that were interested and excited about the logistics services that Nine13 offers.

Ashley acuff, Nine13 Logistics

For me, it was [helpful] hearing different perspectives from different organizations instead of being so siloed–[learning] things that we could think about differently.

amber clark, Impact center