Frequently Asked Questions

Who needs food assistance in Rhode Island?
1 out of every 3 people served is a child under the age of 18 and 60% are women. Additionally, the Food Bank continues to see an increase in the number of working poor served – 1/3 of all households served have one or more working adults.

How many people does the Food Bank help?
The Food Bank serves approximately 51,000 Rhode Islanders every month.

How do people get food assistance?
The Food Bank provides food to local agencies across the state. Individuals needing food assistance visit these agencies – meal sites, food pantries, shelters.

How much food does the Food Bank distribute?
During the Food Bank’s last fiscal year (from July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005) the Food Bank distributed a total of 8.4 million pounds of product. This is approximately 700,000 pounds per month.

How large is the Food Bank?
The Food Bank occupies a 75 ,000 square foot facility. The warehouse itself is just over 35,000 square feet and has a capacity to hold two million pounds of food at one time. The Food Bank’s main Production/Volunteer room is over 6,600 square feet.

What types of food does the Food Bank offer?
The Rhode Island Community Food Bank prides itself in distributing quality, nutritious foods to individuals facing hunger. Some of the Food Bank’s regular staple case items include canned vegetables, protein, canned fruit, grains, beverages, breakfast cereal, canned food and more.

Where does the Food Bank get the food?
The Rhode Island Community Food Bank receives food from a variety of different sources in a number of ways. Some of the food is received as unsaleable product from local retailers, which is inspected and sorted at the Food Bank. Additional food is received through community food drives such as the annual Boy Scout and Letter Carrier drives. Donations are also an important source of product for the Food Bank. Some donations are secured nationally by America’s Second Harvest, while others are donated from local and regional distributors and manufacturers.

How is my donation used?
The support of our donors makes all of our efforts to feed hungry people in Rhode Island possible. And because that support is so key to our many programs, we strive to use every dollar we receive efficiently and effectively, and we do.

How much of my donation is designated for programs and the mission of the Food Bank? How much is used for administrative expenses?
The Food Bank efficiently utilizes $.92 of every dollar donated for programs and hunger-fighting initiatives. Only $.08 of each donated dollar is designated for administrative and fundraising expenses.

Where does the Food Bank receive its funding?
The Food Bank is 90% privately funded, 8% state funded and 2% federally funded.

Is the Food Bank a government agency or a private charity?
The Rhode Island Community Food Bank is a privately funded, non-profit charitable organization that relies upon public support and donations in order to operate and fulfill its mission of providing quality food to people facing hunger.

Is the Food Bank run by paid staff or people volunteering their time?
The Food Bank is staffed with approximately 51 full- and/or part-time employees who work along side approximately 5,000 volunteers each year. The Food Bank is run by a paid staff, but without the generosity of thousands of donated volunteer hours, the Food Bank would not be able to do the work we do.