You’ve probably seen the containers around Indianapolis advertising free food. They’re brightly painted and usually are made out of old newspaper bins.
The boxes belong to the Community Food Box Project, a local nonprofit working to give Indianapolis residents free and easy access to food.
This year, the organization is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. A fundraiser will help the nonprofit continue its work and offer more for the community, including cooking classes and food policy education.
The fundraiser is 6-9 p.m. March 7 at Southeast Community Services, 901 N. Shelby St. There will be food and a salsa dance lesson. Tickets start at $39.
The founder, Sierra Nuckols, said the project started as direct mutual aid.
“It was all about just getting food to people immediately when they needed it,” Nuckols said.
The organization is still doing that. There are 86 food boxes scattered throughout Indianapolis. But it has also grown into something larger over the last 10 years.
Food advocacy. Policy education. Teaching people how to grow their own food.
The group is working with people who learned to farm in their home countries in Central Africa and now grow produce in a garden in Haughville. The food feeds their families and neighbors.
Looking ahead, Nuckols sees opportunities to do more.
For example, not every food box is stocked. The organization relies on sponsors and partnerships to provide food. And Nuckols prefers to local businesses and organizations, rather than rely on large grants.
“We really do want to focus on local and small,” she said. “That keeps us autonomous.”
Aside from the food boxes, Nuckols wants to host community dinners, where people can get something to eat and talk about how to end food insecurity. A 2025 survey from Indy Hunger Network found 53% of people in Marion County experienced food insecurity. That could mean they were skipping meals or didn’t have enough money to buy food.
Nuckols also wants to expand the garden in Haughville and start cooking classes.
The Community Food Box Project website is being rebuilt. Nuckols eventually wants to have an interactive map of food boxes.
For now, you can find food box locations on the group’s Instagram and Facebook.
If you go
Community Food Box Project Fundraiser
🗓️ 6-9 p.m. March 7
📍 Southeast Community Services, 901 N. Shelby St.
🎟️ Tickets start at $39.
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Mirror Indy reporter Tyler Fenwick covers housing and labor. Contact him at 317-766-1406 or tyler.fenwick@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @ty_fenwick and Bluesky @tyfenwick.bsky.social.
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