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45,000 Associations and Non-Profits Reach the hidden market
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Provides food to over 250 non-profit agencies serving the ill, needy, and children in the area of Hennepin, Scott, Carver, Wright and Anoka counties.
www.2harvest.org
Organization distributes food to the needy in North Georgia.
www.acfb.org
An America's Second Harvest Organization and member of the United Way.
www.afoodbank.com
Feeds the hungry by providing food and grocery products to human service agencies serving people in Central Texas.
www.austinfoodbank.org
Nonprofit organization serving the needy in Massachusetts.
www.beverlybootstraps.org
Distributes food to 265 human service agencies throughout southern Colorado.
www.careandshare.org
Serves people every month through nine programs through a network of more than 200 charitable agencies.
www.ccfb.org
Not-for-profit food distribution center working to feed hungry people in the Chicagoland area.
www.chicagosfoodbank.org
Nonprofit organization committed to eliminating hunger and developing collaborative strategies that encourage self-reliance in Southwestern Pennsylvania; member of America's Second Harvest.
trfn.clpgh.org
Organization is a food acquisition, storage and distribution center for the needy of Pima County.
www.communityfoodbank.com
Food bank working to alleviate hunger in Boulder County, Colorado.
www.communityfoodshare.org
Not-for-profit organization dedicated to the alleviation of hunger through the full use of donated food and other resources.
www.communityharvest.org
Mission of the food bank is to alleviate hunger by supplying food products and resources to eligible agencies throughout Connecticut.
www.ctfoodbank.org
Food bank serving Miami, Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, Florida.
www.dailybread.org
Mission is to combat hunger in the Washington DC area through the Food Recovery program and the help of foodservice companies.
www.dccentralkitchen.org
Private, non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating hunger in the East Texas area.
etexfoodbank.org
Statewide charitable organization made up of twelve food banks in Michigan.
www.fbcmich.org
Member of America's Second Harvest national network of food banks. The food bank is a support system for non-profit agencies serving the needy.
www.fbnn.org
Nonprofit, charitable organization providing physical, spiritual, educational, vocational/technical, psychological, economic and medical assistance and other necessary aid to children, families, and persons in need in the US and internationally.
www.feedthechildren.org
Clearinghouse that collects surplus food obtained from government, wholesalers, growers, processors, and retailers and redistributes to those in need throughout the county.
www.food4hungry.org
Food bank that provides assistance to the needy through various local agencies.
www.foodbank.bc.ca
Serving central Massachusetts; member of Second Harvest.
www.foodbank.org
Not-for-profit organization working to eliminate hunger through food distribution. Provides over 600 programs in eleven counties of New York State.
www.foodbankcny.org
Organization alleviates hunger by linking member agencies with food suppliers.
www.foodbankofscm.org
Non-governmental charitable provider of food and grocery products in South Texas.
www.foodbankrgv.com
Food bank exists to create an efficient means of channeling food to participating agencies that meet the needs of the hungry.
foodbankrockies.org
Organization collects and distributes products to over 200 member agencies in order to feed the needy.
www.foodbanksj.org
Nonprofit food distribution center working to provide nutritious food to hungry, low-income people in Western Washington.
www.foodlifeline.org
Provides food for hungry people throughout greater Hartford and Tolland counties.
www.foodshare.org
Non-profit clearinghouse for food donated by the private sector to help those who are hungry in the New England area.
www.gbfb.org
Community-based, private, nonprofit agency whose purpose is to alleviate hunger in Indiana.
www.gleaners.org
Locally-supported, nonprofit charitable food distribution center that provides grocery products to the hungry through member agencies. Service area encompasses 24 counties within Georgia and South Carolina.
www.goldenharvest.org
Provides food for those at risk of hunger by soliciting surplus food and distributing it to non-profit programs throughout Maine.
www.gsfb.com
Non-profit charity dedicated to eradicating hunger in southern Florida; affiliate of the Second Harvest National Food Bank Network.
www.harrychapinfoodbank.org
Private, non-profit organization that feeds the hungry in the Texas Gulf Coast.
www.houstonfoodbank.org
Organization is a centralized distribution point for food which goes to hunger and feeding programs throughout the state of Kansas.
www.ksfoodbank.org
Food is donated to the Foodbank from local and national food manufacturers, wholesalers, supermarkets, restaurant suppliers, packers, processors and brokers to be redistributed to charities in Los Angeles County.
www.lafightshunger.org
A member of America's Second Harvest, its mission is to feed the hungry of the ten coastal counties of South Carolina.
www.lowcountryfoodbank.com
Food bank distributes to nearly 350 charitable programs in western Tennessee.
www.memphisfoodbank.org
Non-profit agency whose mission is to provide low cost and nutritional food products.
nauticom.net
Nonprofit agency whose mission is to provide low cost and nutritional food products to its member agencies who are attending to the needs of the unemployed, underemployed, poor and neglected in Mercer County.
nauticom.net
Providing hunger relief for northern Illinois.
www.northernilfoodbank.org
Food bank providing food and other services to hundreds of nonprofit agencies.
www.orangecountyfoodbank.com
Community-based non-profit organization dedicated to fighting hunger in Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington Counties as well as Clark County, Washington.
www.oregonfoodbank.org
Nonprofit organization that works to end hunger and malnutrition in the Greater Philadelphia region.
www.philabundance.org
Works with a network of charities to reduce food waste and alleviate hunger in Santa Rosa and surrounding communities.
www.refb.org
Mission is to help the charitable community effectively feed the hungry.
www.regionalfoodbank.org
Not-for-profit organization providing quality food for distribution by its certified member agencies in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.
www.rifoodbank.org
National hunger relief organization, distributing food nationwide.
www.secondharvest.org
Organizations mission is to provide a central distribution center for companies, groups and individuals who wish to help provide food for Middle Tennessee's hungry.
www.secondharvestnashville.org
Nonprofit organization committed to eliminating hunger and developing collaborative strategies that encourage self-reliance.
foodbank.seva.net
Food bank collects donated food from growers, manufacturers and grocers, then distributes it to people in need through food pantries, soup kitchens, child care centers, homeless shelters, senior centers and other human service agencies with meal...
sffoodbank.org
Provides cash grants to a broad spectrum of nonprofit organizations working to confront hunger.
www.shamash.org
Feed hungry people by distributing food through its member agencies in eastern Missouri and 12 counties in southwestern Illinois.
www.slafb.org
Charitable, private organization dedicated to eliminating hunger in fifteen Missouri and five Kansas counties.
www.stjofoodbank.org
Community based food rescue program that collects prepared and perishable food and delivers it to organizations that serve the hungry in Bergen, Hudson and Passaic counties.
www.tabletotable.org
Food bank serving Santa Cruz & San Benito Counties.
www.thefoodbank.org
What If Church Was A Way To Prove What We Believe…With Our Lives?
www.10thousanddoors.org
45,000 Associations and Non-Profits Reach the hidden market
marketingsource.com
Shop For Fresh, Organic & Locally Grown Produce at Vons Today!
Vons.com/Summer
If you're thinking of making the transition from county food bank volunteer to food bank administrator, there are a lot of things to look into first. Starting a food bank is not an easy task, but it definitely can be done.
The first thing you should do is some food bank organization research. Your food bank organizations education and training should include but not be limited to the following:
1. Learning how to secure start-up funds for your food bank to help it get off the ground;
2. Finding out how to run food bank agencies successfully and as efficiently as possible;
3. Discovering how to obtain goods for your food bank so that it can help as many people as possible.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Learn how to apply for food bank grants to help you get started
Before you can start your food bank program, you will need some start-up cash. It can help you pay for a storage space and getting full or part time staff on board to handle the logistics.
I recommend: Visit the Mazon Foundation's website and check out what they fund. Try to build your organization to fit neatly into their posted guidelines. This way you will have a greater chance of getting food bank funding even from a different organization. To find more grant opportunities, go to the Grants website, which is part of the federal government's E-Grants Initiative. Check out the Applicant Resources section to learn how to apply for and submit grant proposals properly.
Learn how to run a successful food bank org
Once you have the funds you need, it's important to use them well so they can reach as far as possible. One way to do this is to hire volunteers for all but one or two staff positions. Doing some research in this area while you're still getting on your feet will be a great help.
I recommend: Get in touch with Harvest Project America. This organization, which works to help American families get enough to eat, provides food bank guidance just for the asking. Then read New Jersey Online's article on how to manage volunteers, since they are at the heart of any successful food bank.
Determine the best way to get food for your food bank program
Your food bank program will be pretty useless unless you have food to distribute. Charitable food distributors may be able to help you, but you'll also have to know how to procure food on your own.
I recommend: Visit the national food bank directory at FoodPantries to find other food banks in your area. Contact a few of them to see what they do. This is a noncompetitive business and many will be glad to share. Then go to Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Cruz County's site. It has an excellent article on how to run a food drive. Try some of the ideas yourself or pitch them to local community groups.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- • Good places to look for help with your food bank program are local churches, schools and social organizations. Remember, you are providing a community service. Don't forget to get the community involved.
Food bank organizations run the gamut from national associations to the food pantry at your church. Most are run independently, relying solely on the generosity of the community to stay afloat. They work hard to get donations, grants and volunteers just to survive. They do all this because every day, hunger is experienced in every community in the US. Millions of people rely on food banks to get by.
Charitable food distributors can't do it alone. They need companies like yours to step in and make a difference. It's a chance for you to stand apart from your competitors. Yes, you're giving time and money, but you're also getting a sense of satisfaction and notoriety. People will notice the emphasis your company puts on its community. They'll choose to do business with you. Consider:
1. Matching donations to the local food bank organization.
2. Signing up your company to become a major food bank volunteer.
3. Standing up for the local food bank org before legislators.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Donate to charitable food bank organizations to help your community
Companies can have a huge impact on food bank organizations in their area. Monetary donations go the furthest because food banks can buy much more for the dollar than you can. Food bank grants go a step further and allow organizations to work toward eradicating the hunger problem.
I recommend: Food for the Hungry is an international food bank program that uses USAID special funds. Through USAID, every dollar that's donated translates into $18 of help through food bank grants. Make a company donation to the faith-based organization through the matching funds grant program. The Greater Boston Food Bank allows you to become a monthly donor or become a matching gift company.
Become a food bank volunteer to make a difference
Food pantry organizations rely on volunteers to help them end hunger in America. They depend on the volunteer work of millions of Americans who know that they can make a difference. Get your company involved in the local community by signing up as a food bank volunteer. Employees can tutor kids at a Kids Cafe, transport food to pantries, repackage donated food or perform clerical work.
I recommend: Second Harvest is a renowned food bank program that spans the nation, distributing food to more than 200 member food banks. The America's Second Harvest Network obtains and sends out more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products every year. Search for volunteering opportunities in your community. Community Harvest is a not-for-profit organization that provides immediate food assistance to people in need in Indiana. Organize a food drive through your company to benefit Community Harvest. Use MagicYellow to find local food banks in dozens of cities.
Advocate for food pantry organizations
Advocacy is key to food bank agencies. To truly make a difference, you must stay up-to-date on legislative and policy developments that pertain to hunger issues. It's also important to stay updated on food bank activities.
I recommend: Food Bank of Central New York is a not-for-profit food bank org with the goal of eliminating hunger through food distribution. The organization provides more than 600 programs through the state. Register for the Advocacy Alert Signup so you can stay on top of the issues. The Community Foodbank of New Jersey fights poverty and hunger by distributing food and products, creating new programs and providing education and training. All sectors of society are involved, including corporations. Become an advocate by staying up-to-date on issues and by getting involved in events.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- • Give as much time as possible as a food bank volunteer. Get your neighbors, friends, children and business colleagues involved, too.
Running a successful food bank organization requires you to perform many functions, some of which have nothing to do with the running of a business for profit. Securing funds from willing sponsors and providing an organized and meaningful experience for the volunteers so necessary to any food bank organization requires you to do some research in unlikely places. As you strive to learn how to set up a thriving food bank, take note of key terms that will enhance this undertaking.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Food bank grants
Apply for food bank grants when you need to fund the purchase of food or equipment for your food bank organization.
I recommend: Mazon details the information you'll be required to put on a food bank grant. It also explains the philosophy behind the grants and restrictions placed on these funds.
Food pantry
A food pantry is created by individuals in a community when they believe a portion of the citizens are financially unable to acquire the staples.
I recommend: The Community of Christ takes the setup of a food pantry seriously. Read its discussion of how to access and distribute items in a food pantry and the significant role that personnel can play in managing food pantries.
Food drive
A food drive is an organized effort to collect food and other supplies from individuals and gather them in a central place where they can be distributed to those in need.
I recommend: The Second Harvest Food Bank offers practical advice on how to implement an effective food drive. It also lists the foods most food bank organizations need to make the drive successful.
Financial accountability
Because food bank organizations depend upon donations and government funding, proving financial accountability to its sponsors is essential to an organization's continued success.
I recommend: In making the case for its own financial accountability, Food for the Hungry offers any food bank organization a template for proving its trustworthiness with the monies it has received.
Hunger
The overriding mission of any food bank organization is to eliminate hunger in its various forms.
I recommend: The Greater Chicago Food Depository explains the many faces of hunger. Find out about hunger statistics and which groups of people are most affected by hunger.
Brown-bag program
Brown-bag programs signify a community's efforts to gather food and supplies that senior citizens depend on most.
I recommend: Read about the brown-bag program at the Golden Harvest Food Bank.

