How Food Banking Works

Food Banks provide a process for good stewardship of resources. They help eliminate waste and channel valuable, needed food to people in emergency situations.

Partnerships

Food Banks develop partnerships with manufacturers, farmers, packers, processors, distributors, truckers, retailers, reclamation centers, and government.

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Donation Outlet

A food bank provides a tax deductible, convenient and safe donation outlet for surplus items, misprints, shortfalls, seasonal items, promotional items, customer refusals, overbakes and discontinued food items. By donating, this product may be diverted from disposals in landfills or as waste.

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Regional Warehouse Makes Food Available

The food bank safely stores and makes product available to charities and community groups that provide emergency food. Types of agencies include: food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, after school programs, head start programs, and group homes.

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Distribution

These agencies then distribute these products to needy seniors, working poor families, people who are homeless, unemployed, at-risk children and people in emergencies.

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Helping Families & Individuals

Families and individuals who are economically fragile and susceptible to financial emergencies, who receive food bank goods can stretch their food dollar and use that savings to help cover other basic needs and expenses in their household budget.

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Stretching Charity Dollars

Agencies who acquire their food from the food bank stretch their charity dollar by utilizing donated goods provided by food bank partners. It is a cost-effective way to stretch the charity dollar and optimize service for people in the community.

Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors.