Gen Con, the annual game convention with nearly 50,000 unique attendees, has selected its annual charity partner for 2014– ­ Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana. Each year, Gen Con partners with one local charity, developing events programming intended to give back to the local community.

Gleaners President & CEO, Cindy Hubert said in a release:

We are so grateful to have a community-driven event like Gen Con here in Indianapolis. The partnership with Gen Con will be a great one, and we are glad to have them assisting us in the fight against childhood hunger.

Last year, Gen Con’s charity programming generated more than $25,000 for the convention’s 2013 Charity Partner, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana. This August 14-17, Gen Con will serve as host to numerous charity events supporting Gleaners, including a charity auction, the construction and demolition of a giant “Cardhalla” made of assembled trading cards, the “Slay the Creature” balloon sculpture battle, and many other highly anticipated events.

Adrian Swartout, CEO of Gen Con LLC said:

Traditionally, Gen Con selects a charity partner that serves the youth of the Indy community, and Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana makes a daily impact on the lives of many children at-risk for hunger. Our team is honored to work with another terrific organization, and we look forward to the traditional outpouring of support from the generous gaming community.

Specifically, Gen Con will support Gleaners with their BackSacks: Weekend Food for Kids program, a youth initiative that provides weekend, take-home lunches through local schools. BackSacks are distributed to more than 10,000 at-risk children in grades K-6 in Indiana. These free lunches provide a nutrition resource to more than 230 participating schools.