Food Bank News

We recently convened a number of food bank leaders to discuss what the presidential election means for hunger relief: https://lnkd.in/ergXBN7j

Many food bank leaders arrive at the position because they have a background in fundraising or sometimes finance or banking. Healthcare and the military also mark the pathways of some leaders. For Andrea Williams, the newly named President of Oregon Food Bank, the throughline is her focus on racial and economic justice. Born and raised in Oregon, Williams is descendant from three generations of farm workers who came from Japan and the Philippines to work on sugar cane fields in Hawaii. Their experiences inform her identity as a person of color. A job at the food bank was not an obvious fit. Williams first spent about ten years working at an immigrant rights organization on policies aimed at improving the lives of Latino immigrants and their families. In that work, the food bank was never on her radar screen. Then, during the pandemic while working for the City of Portland, Williams noticed Oregon Food Bank starting to support pro-immigrant legislation. The food bank contributed about $300,000 in unrestricted revenue toward the Oregon Worker Relief Fund, established during the pandemic to ensure support for undocumented people who couldn’t access federal relief. “I was like, ‘What’s going on at Oregon Food Bank?’” Williams said. "I got really interested. That large chunk of money was one of the first concrete ways I saw the food bank show its values and take action toward racial justice." Read the entire powerful introduction of our new President, Andrea Williams, written by Chris Costanzo at Food Bank News. https://lnkd.in/e_366_NU

I think this might be worth a moment of your time ~ Food Bank News convened several of us to discuss how the election might impact our work. https://lnkd.in/eWkeBgJy

The devastation that befell MANNA FoodBank - Asheville NC, whose Asheville, N.C.-based headquarters and warehouse were completely destroyed during Hurricane Helene, unfolded slowly at first, and then suddenly. https://lnkd.in/ecgmQESR

Andrea Williams, descendant from three generations of farm workers, will bring a focus on racial and economic justice to her new role as President of Oregon Food Bank. https://lnkd.in/e_366_NU

It's not an easy decision for a food bank to take the lead on a major research project, as such studies can draw resources away from the immediate goal of distributing food. But at Capital Area Food Bank, an investment in research is paying off in big ways. https://lnkd.in/ecccfFhd

Our latest look at the top 300 food banks by revenue shows that the very biggest food banks are getting bigger and that most food banks are relatively small. https://lnkd.in/edZrp6Aj

Ag Insider Quick Hits - Oct 25 • Osborn gains on Fischer • Winter wheat in drought • Rural news deserts • Fewer large food banks Sources: USDA , Axios , Food Bank News

Today we published our 2024 ranking of the Top 300 Food Banks in the U.S. Find out which food banks in the country and your state are the biggest -- and much more -- using our interactive dashboard of the top 300 food banks by revenue. https://lnkd.in/etMs3ZER

Plant-based "meat" from PLANETARIANS passed the taste test at DC Central Kitchen, and now it's on the menu. Eventually, Planetarians will serve as a central protein in the 16,000 community meals the Kitchen prepares daily. https://lnkd.in/gdJ4KZ64