Redwood Empire Food Bank
Encyclopedia
Redwood Empire Food Bank (REFB) is a food bank
on the North Coast of California
which belongs to the Feeding America network. Its mission is to end hunger in its community.
Founded in 1987, REFB is Sonoma County
's largest hunger-relief organization, serving 133 charitable organizations, including emergency food pantries/closets, shelters and dining rooms, childcare centers/youth programs, group homes, and disaster relief agencies. Seniors, children, and working families come to food distributions seeking supplemental groceries. REFB serves 60,000 people on a monthly basis. During fiscal year 2007-2008, REFB distributed 10750000 pounds (4,876,118 kg) of food, the equivalent of 8.4 million meals, or 23,000 per day.
REFB acquires food and distributes it through a network of charitable agencies and its own food assistance programs and also provides food to Lake
, Mendocino
, Humboldt
, and Del Norte Counties
through smaller food banks. In addition, the REFB advocates for legislation to provide long-term solutions to hunger in its community.
The food bank distributes nearly $4.00 (wholesale value) worth of food for every $1 it spends.
The food bank's 2007 holiday food drive set a goal to collect 200000 pounds (90,718.5 kg) of food and $160,000.
Member agencies contribute toward the cost of transporting and handling the food through shared maintenance fees for some of the food they select, which contribute nearly 10% of REFB's budget.
Food bank
A food bank or foodbank is a non-profit, charitable organization that distributes mostly donated food to a wide variety of agencies that in turn feed the hungry. The largest sources of food are for-profit growers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers who in the normal course of business have...
on the North Coast of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
which belongs to the Feeding America network. Its mission is to end hunger in its community.
Founded in 1987, REFB is Sonoma County
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
's largest hunger-relief organization, serving 133 charitable organizations, including emergency food pantries/closets, shelters and dining rooms, childcare centers/youth programs, group homes, and disaster relief agencies. Seniors, children, and working families come to food distributions seeking supplemental groceries. REFB serves 60,000 people on a monthly basis. During fiscal year 2007-2008, REFB distributed 10750000 pounds (4,876,118 kg) of food, the equivalent of 8.4 million meals, or 23,000 per day.
REFB acquires food and distributes it through a network of charitable agencies and its own food assistance programs and also provides food to Lake
Lake County, California
Lake County is a county located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of California, north of the San Francisco Bay Area. It takes its name from Clear Lake, the dominant geographic feature in the county and the largest natural lake wholly within California...
, Mendocino
Mendocino County, California
Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 87,841, up from 86,265 at the 2000 census...
, Humboldt
Humboldt County, California
Humboldt County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located on the far North Coast 200 miles north of San Francisco. According to 2010 Census Data, the county’s population was 134,623...
, and Del Norte Counties
Del Norte County, California
Del Norte County is a county located at the far northwest corner of the U.S. state of California on the Pacific adjacent to the Oregon border. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 28,610. The county seat is Crescent City, the county's only incorporated city. Del Norte is the abbreviated...
through smaller food banks. In addition, the REFB advocates for legislation to provide long-term solutions to hunger in its community.
The food bank distributes nearly $4.00 (wholesale value) worth of food for every $1 it spends.
Programs
The Agency Shopping Program provides food to 133 member charities that operate 22 programs serving people in need. REFB also operates its own programs: Child's Portion, Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) for children and seniors, Senior Brown Bag, Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP) for people of any age, Community Pantry Network, Backpack Program, and the Every Child, Every Day - Summer Hunger Initiative. The newest program of the REFB is The Megan Furth Harvest Pantry, that delivers nutritious food and education to hungry and anemic children. The REFB is also conducting a pilot project to address the needs of low-income seniors living with diabetes, the Senior Diabetes Wellness Project.The food bank's 2007 holiday food drive set a goal to collect 200000 pounds (90,718.5 kg) of food and $160,000.
Volunteers
Over 5,000 individuals volunteered 70,000 hours in 2007-2008, packing and sorting food, doing clerical tasks, driving trucks to pick up and deliver food, participating in special projects such as food drives and special events, and sharing their technological expertise. These volunteers filled the equivalent of more than 33 full-time staff positions.Sources of donated food
- 13% from local food companies, farmers, retailers, food drives, and
- 87% through regional collaborations and Feeding America's national network of food banks
Sources of funding
Organized as a 501(c)(3) Public Charity, the food bank reported total revenue of over $12 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006. Of this, less than $390,000 came from government grants.- individuals (42%)
- government grants (less than 18%)
- community events and drives (10%)
- foundations (12%)
- business and community groups (7%)
Member agencies contribute toward the cost of transporting and handling the food through shared maintenance fees for some of the food they select, which contribute nearly 10% of REFB's budget.