Palm Beach County Food Bank Inc

Established in 2012, The Palm Beach County Food Bank, Inc. (the "Food Bank") is committed to fighting hunger and improving food security in Palm Beach County by partnering with local organizations. The Food Bank collects, recovers, purchases, and distributes food to food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other non-profit organizations in Palm Beach County at no cost. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, the Food Bank distributed over 14 million pounds of food through six programs, serving more than 200 organizations that help address food insecurity in the county. (Continued on Schedule O)In addition, the Childhood Hunger Initiatives program distributed food packs for the weekend to over 5,000 children at 51 partner agencies throughout the year, resulting in a total of 180,750 bags of nutritious, shelf-stable food, equivalent to almost 1.6 million meals for children. The Senior Hunger Initiatives Program served approximately 600 unduplicated low-income, food-insecure households with a weekly produce box and nutrition information to help increase their intake of fresh vegetables and fruits. Groceries for Seniors supplemented seniors' weekly groceries by providing them with bi-weekly groceries. The Community Kitchen Program prepared and delivered nutritious hot meals, cold meals and snacks to 1,297 children. The Workforce Development Culinary piloted its first cohort program graduating two students, preparing them for entry level positions in the food industry. The Benefits Outreach program helped over 7,942 individuals with their SNAP applications, generating over $5.2 million of federal food benefit assistance revenue for the local economy.The Food Bank collects, recovers, purchases, and distributes food to food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, schools, and other non-profit organizations in Palm Beach County. We are a locally led and governed food bank in Palm Beach County that distributes food to partner agencies at no cost. Serving one of the largest counties in Florida from Tequesta to Boca Raton, Belle Glade, and Pahokee to the Coast, the Food Bank successfully operates six programs:Partner Marketplace distributes food to partner agencies on the front line of hunger relief. Food Bank's refrigerated trucks pick up and receive food donations from local farmers, distributors, and retailers. The food is brought to the Food Bank's refrigerated warehouse and sorted by volunteers.Childhood Hunger Initiatives (CHI) Weekend Food for Kids, Lois' Food4Kids, and School Pantries provide school-age children who are on free/reduced-price lunch and their families with nutritious, easy-to-prepare food for the weekends. CHI gives families the opportunity to supplement their food budgets and complement the meals provided by schools during the school week by providing an additional food resource.Senior Hunger Initiatives delivers healthy food and educational resources to underserved populations, including food deserts and low-income seniors. Every two weeks, the program distributes fresh produce, shelf-stable groceries, and recipe cards through partnerships with local organizations and direct community engagement. Its mission is to improve food security and promote healthier eating habits by making nutritious options accessible to those who need them most.Community Kitchen Program prepares and delivers nutritious hot meals, cold meals, and snacks for children and seniors from our commercial kitchen, which has the capacity to produce thousands of meals each day, we serve after-school and summer programs as well as senior services to ensure consistent access to wholesome food when other options are limited. Through year-round partnerships with schools, community organizations, and senior programs, the Community Kitchen helps close the hunger gap and supports the well-being of our community.Workforce Development Culinary Training course is designed to prepare participants for entry-level positions in the food service industry. The training program builds culinary job readiness and practical life skills. The course is offered at no cost to students.The Benefits Outreach Program assists individuals and families with applying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, and Cash Assistance free of charge. Food Bank is one of only four organizations in Florida that provides the Department of Children & Families required federal food relief interview. The interview is conducted during a meeting with one of the Food Bank's benefits specialists, who speaks English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.