Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle announces Drive & Dish program is expanding to address food insecurity

Carlisle has been involved with the program since 2023

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle discusses new updates to his Drive & Dish initiative. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Tony East) /

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle announced updates and advancements to the Drive & Dish program on Thursday.

Speaking at Frederick Douglass Park, Carlisle and other speakers announced that there are several new investments into the program that will help it reach more people. Drive & Dish is teaming up with Gleaners Food Bank, and specifically their Gleaners2Go program, to combat food insecurity in Indianapolis and beyond.

The Indianapolis Colts contributed funds, and Carlisle said that the Pacers ownership group, headed by Herb Simon, provided eight figures of money. In total, the hope is that the partnership and funding creates a program that can distribute 33,000 boxes of food to those who need it next year.

With the new arrangement, the hope is to triple the per month distribution. Rachel Simon, the daughter of Pacers owner Herb Simon and a Vice Chair of the Pacers Foundation, noted that it is the Pacers' belief that the access to food is a right, not a luxury. The hope is that Drive & Dish can expand to more cities around Indiana in future years.

"Food insecurity seemed to be the one that was very prevalent and something that touches so many families. It affects 25-30% of all people in Marion County," Carlisle said of what inspired the creation of Drive & Dish. He originally got involved in 2023.

The Pacers Foundation website is a great way for people to get involved, and anyone who requires more information about the program can text DRIVE to 317-854-7707.

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