SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF NORTHWEST NC INC

SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK DONATED PRODUCT: DONATED PRODUCTS ARE ACQUIRED FROM A BROAD RANGE OF SOURCES (RECEIPTS: 41,745,778 POUNDS FOR 06/30/25) AND DISTRIBUTED (DISTRIBUTION: 41,935,986 POUNDS FOR 06/30/25) FROM SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK'S 130,000 SQUARE FOOT DISTRIBUTION FACILITY. THE DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM HELPS MORE THAN 302 PARTNER AGENCIES PROVIDE 492 SEPARATE FEEDING PROGRAMS THAT FEED THOSE FACING FOOD INSECURITY WITHIN AN 18-COUNTY SERVICE AREA. ALL PARTNER AGENCIES MAY PICK UP FOOD FROM THE WAREHOUSE. MANY COUNTIES IN OUR SERVICE AREA ALSO HAVE THE OPTION OF USING THE RURAL DELIVERY PROGRAM. SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS ADVOCATE AND EDUCATE TARGET AUDIENCES, INCREASING VISIBILITY OF HUNGER ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITIES THROUGH MARKETING, PUBLIC RELATIONS AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS PROGRAMS. BACKPACK PROGRAM: THE BACKPACK PROGRAM IS A PROGRAM OF FEEDING AMERICA AND AIMS TO ADDRESS CHILDHOOD HUNGER IN RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING SCHOOL CHILDREN AT RISK OF HUNGER WITH BACKPACKS FULL OF NUTRITIOUS CHILD-FRIENDLY FOODS TO TAKE HOME OVER THE WEEKEND DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. AS OF 06/30/25, SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OPERATES 81 PROGRAM SITES IN COLLABORATION WITH SELECTED PARTNER AGENCIES AND SCHOOLS. SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK PROVIDES BACKPACKS, FOOD, AND OVERSIGHT OF THE PROGRAM BY OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND IMPACT STAFF. DAY-TO-DAY COORDINATION IS HANDLED BY PARTNER AGENCIES OF SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK AND THE SCHOOLS TO WHICH THEY ARE MATCHED. PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS HAVE 50% OR MORE OF STUDENTS RECEIVING FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE SCHOOL MEALS. PARTNER AGENCIES PICK UP FOOD FROM SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK AND RECRUIT AND COORDINATE VOLUNTEERS TO FILL THE BACKPACKS FOR DELIVERY TO SELECTED SCHOOLS EACH FRIDAY. SCHOOL TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS DETERMINE WHICH CHILDREN WILL PARTICIPATE. PARENTAL CONSENT IS REQUIRED FOR EACH CHILD AND STUDENT NAMES ARE KEPT CONFIDENTIALLY AT THE SCHOOL. FOOD PURCHASE PROGRAM: SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK PURCHASES NUTRITIOUS FOOD PRODUCTS FROM VENDORS AND MAKES THESE PRODUCTS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE BY PARTICIPATING PARTNER AGENCIES. THE ORGANIZATION SHOPS FOR FOOD PRODUCTS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES, LEVERAGING OUR BUYING POWER TO OBTAIN THE BEST VALUE. THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS PARTICIPATING AGENCIES TO OBTAIN FOOD PRODUCTS AT A LOWER COST THAN THE AVERAGE RETAIL COST. THE PRODUCT MIX IS NARROWLY FOCUSED, CONSISTING OF STAPLE ITEMS MOST OFTEN PURCHASED BY THE PARTNER AGENCIES SUCH AS SPAGHETTI, SOUP, MACARONI AND CHEESE, BEANS, MILK, AND RICE. ANY NET GAINS FROM FOOD SALES TO PARTNER AGENCIES ARE REINVESTED INTO THIS PROGRAM. THE FOOD PURCHASE PROGRAM IS AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO PROVIDING NUTRITIOUS FOOD PRODUCTS NEEDED BY THE PARTNER AGENCIES. DIRECT DISTRIBUTION: DIRECT CLIENT DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD, INCLUDING FRESH PRODUCE, WHICH UTILIZES REFRIGERATED TRUCKS TO PROVIDE FOOD TO PEOPLE IN NEED IN UNDERSERVED LOCATIONS IN OUR EIGHTEEN-COUNTY SERVICE AREA. THE PROGRAM MADE 191 DISTRIBUTIONS TOTALING 1,014,234 POUNDS IN THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING 06/30/25. NUTRITION SERVICES: SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK'S NUTRITION SERVICES TEAM IS COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE NUTRITION AND HEALTH OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS THROUGH THE PROMOTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED NUTRITION EDUCATION. WE OFFER A WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMMING FOR OUR PARTNER AGENCY NETWORK, FROM COOKING CLASSES AND SUMMER FEEDING ACTIVITIES TO FOOD DEMONSTRATIONS AND COMMUNITY GARDEN WORKSHOPS. ADDITIONALLY, WE PROVIDE SNAP OUTREACH TO HELP ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES ACCESS VITAL FOOD ASSISTANCE, OFFERING GUIDANCE THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND CONNECTING THEM WITH RESOURCES TO ENSURE THEY RECEIVE THE BENEFITS THEY NEED. 1,041 FNS APPLICATIONS WERE SUBMITTED BY SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK AND PARTNER AGENCIES DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING 06/30/25. FARM FRESH NOURISH: THE FARM FRESH NOURISH PROGRAM IS A FARM-TO-PANTRY INITIATIVE THAT CONNECTS LOCAL FARMS AND FOOD PANTRIES TO EXPAND USE OF FRESH, LOCAL PRODUCE TO PANTRY NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE OR LIVE WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS PREDIABETES, DIABETES, OR HEART-RELATED CONDITIONS SUCH AS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEART DISEASE. IT IS BUILT ON THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSA) MODEL THAT CONNECTS FARMERS DIRECTLY WITH CONSUMERS. PANTRIES RECEIVE FRESH PRODUCE SHARES PURCHASED BY SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK AT MARKET RATE FROM SMALL-SCALE FARMERS (MANY WOMEN AND BIPOC-OWNED) - BOTH SPURRING ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND INVESTING IN HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES. PARTICIPANTS IN THE FARM FRESH NOURISH PROGRAM ARE OFFERED THE FRESH PRODUCE SHARES, AND A HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM FOCUSED ON GENERAL NUTRITION AND HEALTH BEHAVIORS. GREENSBORO SATELLITE - COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORK ELEVATES THE VOICES OF PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE AND HONORS THEIR EXPERTISE IN CREATING SOLUTIONS IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. IN THIS WORK, SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK CONDUCTS RESIDENT SURVEYS, FOCUS GROUPS AND NEIGHBORHOOD CANVASSING ACTIVITIES TO LEARN ABOUT LOCAL PRIORITIES AND THEN SUPPORTS GRASSROOT STRATEGIES FOR CHANGE BY FACILITATING ACTION PLANNING, LEVERAGING OUR ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS, AND BRINGING SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT INTO THE COMMUNITY. AS A RESULT OF OUR ENGAGEMENT WORK AND FEEDBACK RECEIVED FROM THE EAST GREENSBORO COMMUNITY, SECOND HARVEST RECENTLY LAUNCHED A 12-WEEK LEADERSHIP PROGRAM CALLED THE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY (CLA) THAT CONNECTED LOCAL EXPERTS TO CLA PARTICIPANTS TO LEARN ABOUT TOPICS SUCH AS ASSET BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, TRAUMA INFORMED CARE, ACES, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND RESILIENCY.