Colts in the Community: How the team is tackling hunger in Indianapolis

Students in the Indianapolis area will be eating a little bit healthier, thanks to a $1 million gift from the Colts to PataSchool, an initiative of the Patachou Foundation.

PataSchools work to combat childhood hunger with healthy meals given to students at no cost throughout the school year, and for those involved in summer programs as well. The Colts gift will serve three PataSchools, which - according to a press release from the team - will supply 1.2 million meals to 3,500 students in Indianapolis over the next five years.

Adelante Schools at Emma Donnan School #72 has transformed their kitchen and cafeteria to Colts Commons, where over 450 students will have more healthy food options. “At least what I grew up with at school was the tried and true, standard school lunch," Edward Rengal, CEO of Adelante Schools,, told WISH. "Now, we have transformed that by using fresh ingredients and scratch-made meals to get kids excited about what they are eating, ask questions, and be inquisitive about what they are eating.”

Two other PataSchools - Circle City Prep Elementary School on the far east side, and Purdue Polytechnic High School on the near eastside - will also be recipients of the funding from the Colts. So far, with help from the Patachou Foundation, the schools have reported "increased attendance, better academic performance, and less behavioral issues."

"For many children, school breakfasts and lunches are the only guaranteed meals of the day, with school meals accounting for half of a child's daily calories," Colts Vice Chair & Owner Kalen Jackson said in the press release. "One in five kids in Indianapolis is living with hunger, and the lack of access to quality food negatively impacts school attendance, behavior in and out of school and overall health. That's why the Colts are so happy to support PataSchool, because ending food insecurity should be a reachable goal in a state and country as bountiful as we are."

Colts fans will be directly influencing this effort, as the funding will come from the 50/50 raffle on gameday.

Additionally, Zaire Franklin is looking to address food insecurity as well. In a press release, he announced that he was partnering with Coca-Cola; for every tackle he makes, Franklin will donate $44 to the Midwest Food Bank of Indiana, and Coca-Cola will match his donations dollar-for-dollar.

"I'm excited to be teaming up with Coca-Cola Consolidated and the Midwest Food Bank of Indiana this season to take part in the fight against hunger," Franklin said in the press release. "Being involved in the community is always a priority for me, and this is a great way to make an impact both on and off the field."