Food banks are organizations that collect and distribute food to other smaller charities that through food pantries and meal programs serve people at risk of passing hunger.
The coronavirus pandemic has left millions of families without stable employment. In the United States, more than 42 million people, including 13 millions of children may be food insecure , according to data from Feeding America, a US national network of 200 food banks.
Latino communities are more likely to face hunger than non-Hispanic white communities. One in six Latinos in the United States is food insecure.
How food banks work
Feeding America explains that food banks act as food storage and distribution warehouses for smaller front-line agencies and generally do not distribute food directly to people.
Most of the Partner distribution organizations that deliver food also often themselves as food banks.
As Food Bank News explains, distribution organizations like food banks, They also run anti-hunger programs, such as mobile food pantries , weekend and summer meals for children, nutrition education, and food boxes for seniors.
All food banks depend on donors and volunteers for their operation. Daily income.
Where do the food banks get their food?
Food banks receive donations from manufacturers, retailers, carriers, packers, national food and grocery producers, government agencies, and other organizations.
How many food banks are there in the United States
In the United States there are more than 200 food banks. According to Food Bank News, in addition of the 200 Feeding America food banks and their 77 partner distribution organizations, there are at least 53 food banks that operate independently.
A new kind of food bank has also emerged, at least 37. They do not depend on non-perishable food, they work to rescue fresh food and distribute it quickly so that it can be consumed before it is wasted.
Largest food banks in the United States
The largest food banks in the country by income are Feed the Children, based in Oklahoma City, the Midwest Food Bank, based in Normal, Ill and the Houston Food Bank . The first two are banks independent of the Feeding America National Food Bank Association.
Feeding America food banks focus on specific geographic areas, usually within a state. Feed the Children and Midwest Food Bank operate in multiple states, as well as internationally . Feed the Children works in every state and in ten countries around the world. Midwest Food Bank has 11 locations: nine in the United States, one in East Africa and Haiti.
Find a food bank
For find a food bank in your local Feeding America community you must go to their website and enter your zip code or state.
To find a local food bank in California you can go to the California Association of Food Banks website at Where the directory is shown with a list of locations and telephone number of the different organizations that serve as food banks in the state.
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