What Is A Food Bank?

Freestore Foodbank
Providing Food, Connection and Hope
Our mission is to provide food and services, create stability, and further
self-reliance for people in crisis.
>>
What Is A Food Bank?
So you might be wondering, what exactly is a food bank?
food bank - a place supplying food to poor or displaced people. –Encyclopedia.com
food bank - a place where food is contributed and made available to those in need. –Freedictionary.com
<<
>>
What Is A Food Bank?
A food bank is an organization that receives food donations to be distributed to those in need. You might be
wondering……who provides the donations? A majority of food donations are made by food manufacturers,
processors, grocery chains and other food suppliers. Companies and organizations, as well as members of the
community, also play a key role by making generous monetary and food donations. Companies will often host
food drives as a way to collect donations.
As donations come in, food banks work to ensure that food
provided to customers is always edible and within the expiration
date. Food banks work to safely provide for customers in the best
means possible.
Food banks can be found in most communities, and rely on the generosity of donors and volunteers to carry
out day-to-day operations. Food banks often host major fundraising efforts, such as walks and other events, to
bring in financial resources. All food banks serve one purpose: to help those in need.
<<
>>
Freestore Foodbank
Now that you know a little more about what a food bank is, let’s delve a little more into what the
Freestore Foodbank is about. The Freestore Foodbank is a provider of emergency food and
client services. It is the Tri-State’s largest food bank, serving 20 counties across Ohio, Kentucky
and Indiana. The Freestore Foodbank has three locations in the greater Cincinnati area: The
Customer Connection Center on Liberty Street in Over-the-Rhine, the Mayerson
Distribution Center on Tennessee Avenue in Bond Hill and the Jeff and Darlene Anderson
Family Building on Central Parkway in the West End.
The Freestore Foodbank serves more than 300,000 people annually in 20
counties across Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana with the help of more than 350
member agencies. Those member agencies include food pantries, soup kitchens,
shelters, childcare/eldercare centers, community centers and residential programs.
The Freestore Foodbank solicits, warehouses, and distributes 18 million pounds of
donated food and groceries annually. The Freestore Foodbank uses food to start
a conversation to figure out what else is going on in clients’ lives, in turn
connecting them to the necessary resources to move forward. Client services
offered by the Freestore Foodbank include: Emergency Rent Assistance, Direct
Rent/Utilities Program, Protective Payee Program, Transportation Assistance,
Emergency Clothing, Holiday Food Basket Distribution, and
Homeless Outreach Program.
<<
>>
Our History
The Freestore Foodbank was founded by
Frank Gerson in 1971. Gerson was
working at Cincinnati’s incinerator, and
started collecting discarded household
items and distributing them to families in
need. Gerson named his practice the Free
Store. He incorporated it as a public charity,
quit his job, and opened for business in his
apartment. In the first year, Gerson and a
small army of volunteers distributed $12,000
worth of rescued clothing, furniture and
other items to more than 400 families.
<<
One of Gerson’s original volunteers,
Steve Gibbs, went on to become CEO
of the organization, giving it structure
and guiding it through its first 34 years
of success. In 1979, the Free Store
became a founding member of
Feeding America (formerly America’s
Second Harvest), and began
distributing food to those in need.
While operations at the Freestore
Foodbank have evolved since 1971,
one thing has remained the same: the
Freestore Foodbank is dedicated to
serving the less fortunate in the
community.
Now under the leadership of John Young, the Freestore Foodbank is one of Ohio’s
largest food banks. The Freestore Foodbank serves roughly 300 people per day at
its Customer Connection Center.
John Young, President & CEO
>>
Financials
Programs
Fundraising
2%
Administration
4%
94%
94% of the funds raised at the Freestore Foodbank go
directly to providing food and other services to our
customers. There are several programs we use to serve
those in need. Such programs include Kids Cafe, which
serves 80,000 meals each year to children who might
otherwise go hungry and Cincinnati Cooks, which trains
unemployed or underemployed adults for work in the food
service industry.
2% of contributions go towards fundraising costs. Those
contributions are mainly donations that are received as a
result of fundraising activities.
<<
>>
Always Here To Help
Hunger is a reality. It could happen to anyone: your neighbor,
friend or a family member. Across the nation, more than 50
million Americans, including children, are either hungry or at risk
of hunger.
We see the faces of hunger every day. We serve more than
300,000 people annually. Our customers are facing a variety of
life obstacles – there are a variety of causes that lead to poverty.
Without question, times are tough for the people we serve.
Every customer is a life preparing to be transformed. Sometimes
they need a little help getting back on their feet. Often times,
as we guide them through that process, we develop friendships
along the way. Our customers are an inspiration; boldly tackling
their struggles in the pursuit of bettering their lives.
The greatest reward - stories of triumph; individuals facing their
challenges head on and succeeding. It’s an attainable goal; a
goal our customers continuously achieve. The faces of hunger
are also the faces of inspiration.
<<
>>
Find Out More About Us
@
To learn more about the Freestore Foodbank, log onto www.freestorefoodbank.org. There you can find a wealth of
information, including more about our programs, the latest news and events, a resource center where you can learn
more about hunger, ways you can help, a list of our member agencies, staff bios, links to our social media outlets, our
contact information and much more.
Android
Also be sure to download our mobile application, which is available for free on
the iTunes App Store or on the Android Market. The application provides
news feeds of recent or relevant information, involvement opportunities for
community members, and much more. It’s a great way to stay connected!
<<
iPhone