Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Food Bank for the Heartland is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that distributes food to 600 food pantries, schools, emergency shelters and other nonprofit partners. We are the largest food bank in Nebraska and Iowa, serving 93 counties in the two-state region.
Fighting hunger is an ongoing, collaborative effort. We work with individuals, organizations, food manufacturers and distributors, grocery stores, the USDA and Feeding America to procure food. The Food Bank also purchases food to supplement donations. For every dollar we receive, we can provide three meals.
Food Bank for the Heartland operates its own programs that serve vulnerable populations directly. They include Kids Cafe, BackPack, Mobile Pantry, SNAP and Kids Cruisin’ Kitchen. As the number of hungry children, families and seniors increases, these programs expand to meet the growing need.
We moved to our current 76,000 square-foot facility in 2011. In FY 2021, we provided 37,070,228 meals to our neighbors across the Heartland. We are grateful to the individuals, organizations and companies that support our vision of eradicating hunger in our community by donating time, money and food.
FALL 2021
As we head into fall in the Heartland, I remain in awe of the power of our community to come together and serve our neighbors in need. Together, we’ve weathered years of literal and figurative storms. And though we’ve shared heartbreak, devastation, and uncertainty, we’ve met these challenges with compassion, grit, and an outpouring of generosity.
The lessons we’ve learned along the way have led to stronger partnerships and impactful innovation. A striking example of this is an initiative launched earlier this year. With support from our friends at Cargill and Feeding America, we built a regional USDA-certified “clean room.” This facility allows us to safely process large protein donations from Cargill and others — and prepare it for distribution across our network.
Our clean room helps us address a significant need for those facing hunger. Items rich in protein, particularly meat products, provide key nutrition and often serve as the main ingredient in popular dishes, but they’re generally more expensive and less frequently donated than other foods. The ability to accept bulk protein and portion it into family-friendly packages allows us to distribute high-quality, healthy food for more families in need. Since its launch, more than 126,558 pounds of protein have been repacked through our clean room!
As we look to expand the footprint, staffing, and capacity of our clean room in FY 2021-2022, we continue to pursue other opportunities to serve more people in more ways, an endeavor only made possible through the support of our donors, volunteers, and partners. Together, we are a powerful and growing force for good, filling families with hope and their tables with healthy food. Thank you for being a part of it.
Individuals, businesses, foundations, USDA, and organizations donate food, funds and volunteer time
The Food Bank collects and distributes food to network partners and direct distribution programs
Food pantries, shelters, schools, soup kitchens, mobile pantries and child nutrition programs organize distribution
Food is provided to people who are struggling with hunger in Nebraska and western Iowa
A food bank is a non-profit organization that collects and distributes food to hunger-relief charities. Food Bank for the Heartland works with individuals, organizations, food manufacturers and distributors, grocery stores, the USDA and Feeding America to procure food. We also purchase food to supplement donations. The food is warehoused in our distribution center, and with help from volunteers, it is sorted, packed and re-distributed across Nebraska and western Iowa.
The Food Bank distributes food to nearly 600 non-profit organizations in Nebraska and western Iowa such as pantries, schools, emergency shelters and meal providers. These organizations then distribute food to individuals and families in need in their communities.
Items in the highest demand include those the Food Bank often buys. The list includes macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, rice, pancake mix, canned chicken, boxed potatoes, canned fruit and canned green beans.
In FY 2021, 31.8 percent of the food received by the Food Bank came from individual and corporate donors such as manufacturers, grocers and retail stores; 43.5 percent was purchased by the Food Bank; 24.7 percent came from USDA commodities
No. The IRS prohibits food banks from selling food.
