Food bank
Food banks are nonprofit organizations that serve as centralized hubs for the collection, storage, and distribution of food to local food pantries, which in turn provide food directly to individuals and families in need. Originating in the 1960s, food banks aim to alleviate hunger by collecting surplus food from farmers, manufacturers, and food companies, as well as donations from the federal government. They handle vast quantities of food—often millions of pounds—making it accessible to smaller pantries at little to no cost, thus helping to combat food insecurity. In the U.S., Feeding America is the largest hunger-relief organization, boasting a network of around 200 food banks that support approximately 16,000 pantries.
Despite their positive impact, food banks face criticism regarding the quality of food provided. Much of the inventory consists of shelf-stable items, which may lack freshness and nutritional value. Additionally, some experts argue that financial resources could be better utilized in direct nutritional assistance programs, allowing individuals to purchase healthier food options. The COVID-19 pandemic heightened the demand for food bank services, revealing both the reliance on and challenges faced by these organizations in addressing food insecurity. Globally, food insecurity affects a significant portion of the population, making the role of food banks increasingly vital yet complex.
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Food bank
Food banks are centralized locations, usually run as non-profits, which stockpile, store, and distribute food to local food pantries. The pantries then distribute it to people in need. Food banks collect large quantities of surplus products from farmers and manufacturers as well as donations from food companies and the federal government. They may handle millions of pounds of food on a regular basis. They make it easy for smaller, more localized food pantries to get food at low or no cost. This helps get food into the hands of people in need, reducing hunger and promoting better health. However, some have pointed out that much of the food from food banks is, by necessity, shelf-stable and not fresh, so it is not always good for people’s health.
Background
Modern food banks began in the 1960s after a conversation between a Phoenix, Arizona, soup kitchen volunteer named John van Hengel and a woman outside a grocery store. The woman was rummaging through the store’s garbage cans, looking for food for her children. She told van Hengel there should be a place where stores could donate surplus food they were going to throw away, so people did not have to go through garbage cans to get it. Van Hengel took her idea and created St. Mary’s Food Bank. Within one year, he and a team of volunteers had rescued and distributed more than 275,000 pounds of food. Others followed suit, and within a decade, there were nearly twenty food banks across the country.
Overview
Into the 2020s, surveys indicated that more than one in five American adults reported that their household experienced food insecurity in the previous year. Globally, that number reached 1.3 billion, or more than 16 percent in 2022. In some countries, the percentage was much higher. In 2024, the United Nations reported 2.33 billion people experienced moderate to severe food insecurity globally. Food insecurity occurs when people do not have enough food, or enough appropriate food, to meet their nutritional and health needs. Many local food pantries attempt to address this need by handing food directly to people in need, and they are assisted by food banks.
In the United States, the largest hunger-relief organization is Feeding America, which has a network of over two hundred food banks providing food to around 60,000 food pantries, partner agencies, and meal programs. Other regionalized banks also collect and provide food. Food banks also participate in projects that help get food that might otherwise be wasted into the hands of people who need it. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in 2020, many dairy farmers found themselves with surplus milk when schools and restaurants closed down. A program established by the United States Department of Agriculture helped gather much of that milk and redirect it to food banks for distribution.
While food banks help reduce hunger, they have been subject to some criticism as well. Some have pointed out that much of the food is canned, boxed, or otherwise processed and offers limited fresher, healthier options, which can lead to poor health outcomes. Others contend that some of the financial resources put into food banks should be redirected to supplemental nutrition programs that provide funds for groceries directly to those in need, and allow them to have better access to fresh, healthy food of their own choosing.
Bibliography
Charles, Dan. “Food Banks Get the Love, But SNAP Does More To Fight Hunger.” The Salt—NPR, 22 May 2020, www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2020/05/22/859853877/food-banks-get-the-love-but-snap-does-more-to-fight-hunger. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
“The Difference between 'Food Bank' and 'Food Pantry.'” Food Bank of the Southern Tier, www.foodbankst.org/food-bank-or-food-pantry. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
“The Feeding America Network.” Feeding America, www.feedingamerica.org/our-work/food-bank-network. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
“Food Bank vs. Food Pantry.” Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania, nwpafoodbank.org/get-educated/food-bank-vs-food-pantry. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
“Global Issues: Food.” United Nations, www.un.org/en/global-issues/food. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
“More than Filling Empty Bellies: How Food Banks are Evolving to Nourish Community Health.” Community Psychology, www.communitypsychology.com/foodbanks. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
“Our History.” Feeding America, www.feedingamerica.org/about-us/our-history. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
“Program: Food Banks and Pantries.” Delivering Community Benefit: Healthy Food Playbook, foodcommunitybenefit.noharm.org/resources/implementation-strategy/program-food-banks-and-pantries. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
Waxman, Elaine, et al. “Food Insecurity Trended Upward in Midst of High Inflation and Fewer Supports.” Urban Institute, 28 Sept. 2022, www.urban.org/research/publication/food-insecurity-trended-upward-midst-high-inflation. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.