What is a food bank?
When most people think of feeding the hungry, they envision soup kitchens for the homeless or small food pantries where poor people can visit for a box of canned goods. But as a Food Bank, Feeding America Tampa Bay is much larger in scope; in fact, it’s the massive behind-the-scenes resource that supports these types of programs that feed the hungry. The Food Bank also provides food for shelters, residential group homes, and the Kids Cafe after-school programs. The Food Bank is in effect, a distributor and central supply point that procures the food, sorts it, stores it, and efficiently matches it to those in need according to need.
How much food is distributed?
Since the Food Bank was founded in 1982, it has distributed over 170 million pounds. Most of this was surplus product that would otherwise have simply gone to waste. Feeding America Tampa Bay distributed just under 19 million pounds of food in 2010, enough to provide more than a million meals a month.
Where does the food come from?
The Food Bank solicits donations of food from farmers, producers and manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and supermarkets, and collects additional products through organized community food drives. It is always seeking new sources of surplus food because there is always a surplus of need.
How is the food distributed?
Feeding America Tampa Bay makes a difference in the lives of thousands of people weekly through its distribution to a partnership network of more than 600 churches and other incorporated non-profit organizations. These hunger relief agencies include The Salvation Army, Metropolitan Ministries, Beth-el Mission, Hope Children’s Home and the St. Vincent DePaul Society. The Food Bank services 10 counties throughout west central Florida.
How is the Food Bank funded?
Feeding America Tampa Bay is a private, non-profit 501(c)3 community service that relies solely on private contributions and foundation grants. Additionally, shared maintenance contributions from our agency partners accounts for 30% of the Food Bank’s budget. More than 97% of funds go to mission fulfillment; less than 3% for fundraising. Every dollar raised helps distribute food for four meals.
Ending Hunger, Nourishing Hope
Your local food bank, Feeding America Tampa Bay(formerly named America's Second Harvest of Tampa Bay) is a member of the Feeding America food bank network, the largestdomestic hunger relief organization in the United States.