About Us

Our Mission: Alleviating Hunger

Feeding Our Rhode Island Community Neighbors in Need

Since 1982, with your support, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank has been distributing millions of pounds of food to those in need of assistance through our network of member agencies across the state.

Our Mission

To improve the quality of life for all Rhode Islanders by advancing solutions to the problem of hunger.

Our Vision

We envision a state where no one goes hungry.

Our Values

Compassion

We approach our work with empathy, understanding and respect for the diverse communities we serve.

Innovation

We are flexible and responsive to the changing needs of the community. We lead by finding creative ways to prevent and reduce food insecurity.

Fostering Health

We want all Rhode Islanders to have access to healthy food because good nutrition is essential for good health.

Collaboration

We know we cannot end hunger alone. We succeed in partnership with others and strive to include a rich tapestry of voices in our work.

Accountability

We deliver outstanding service and high quality programs, effectively and efficiently. We steward our resources with integrity and transparency.

Commitment to Diversity

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank embodies diversity, serving every part of our state and engaging people from all communities and backgrounds in our work. We are an open and inclusive organization that welcomes, respects, and values all people. Diversity strengthens our organization, so we take responsibility for attracting employees, volunteers and supporters with diverse identities and life experience. When we seek out, recognize, and cultivate diversity within our staff, we create an enriched and more inclusive work environment. Ultimately, it is our collective wisdom that enables us to achieve our mission with creativity and compassion.

Hunger Facts & Figures

Rhode Island families are experiencing hunger at a staggering rate. The Food Bank works tirelessly to keep up with the demand for food assistance created by food inflation, the end of many pandemic-related benefits and increased cost of living across the board.

84,400

People per month receive assistance at our member agencies (RI Food Bank Agency Statistics, 2024)

38%

of Rhode Island households are food insecure (RI Life Index, 2024)

42 MM

meals are missed by low-income Rhode Islanders (US Dept. Labor Stats, 2024)

144,188

Rhode Islanders are enrolled in SNAP (RI DHS, April 2024)

$31,200

Per year is the poverty level for a family of four (RI DHS, 2024)

Download our Fact Sheet

Latest Publications

Learn more about our work in our annual publications, highlighting the need for food assistance in Rhode Island and how we innovate to continue to meet the need. You’ll also meet some of our donors, guests and agency partners.

Two smiling boys in a classroom
Spring 2024 Impact Report

    March 2024

    2023 Annual Report

      January 2024

      2023 Status Report on Hunger

        November 2023

        2023 Hunger Survey

          October 2023

          What We Do

          The Food Bank distributes food to people in need through a state-wide network of 147 member agencies, providing nutritious pantry staples, fresh produce, meats, dairy and culturally relevant foods to Rhode Islanders experiencing food insecurity. Equipped with a 77,000-square-foot facility, a fleet of trucks and a professional staff, the Food Bank safely and efficiently solicits, collects, stores and distributes large quantities of food from many sources.

          The Food Bank is a private, nonprofit organization located in Providence, RI. It is governed by a Board of Directors, elected annually by the Food Bank’s member agencies. The Food Bank is affiliated with Feeding America, the national food bank organization. The Food Bank is funded primarily by gifts from individuals, corporate donations, foundation grants and some government funding.

          Who we serve

          • 66% of households that visit food pantries include a child (0-17 yrs old) or senior (65+ yrs old)
          • 45% of respondents report being in poor or fair health (as opposed to good, very good, or excellent)
          • 69% of households with children have an employed adult yet 89% live below the poverty line
          • 75% of respondents are enrolled in SNAP (which the USDA plans to cut, leaving 11,000 Rhode Islanders without food assistance including 5,000 children)

          *Data from the 2019 Hunger Survey, a collaborative effort between the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and the Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute at Brown University, identifying demographic details of households impacted by hunger in Rhode Island.



          About Our Member Agencies

          Our member agencies are our “boots on the ground” in distributing food to those who need it the most.

          Hear from Our Agencies and Their Guests

          We recently visited 3 of our member agencies to talk with their staff and guests about how the Food Bank works with them to provide healthy, nutritious food.

          Publications Archive

          Website Accessibility

          The Food Bank uses the ReciteMe Assistive Toolbar, a cloud-based technology that allows visitors to consume our website in the way that works best for them, whether it’s in another language, in a larger font, or with the auto-read feature. Learn more here or click the toolbar at the top of any page.