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. During 2018, we distributed 22 million meals to our nonprofit partners that have touched the lives of people in the community. 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.
Denise McCauley, Chairman
WoodmenLife
Chad Werner, Chair-elect
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska
Craig Kinnison, Secretary
Farm Credit Services of America
Nate Christ, Treasurer
Total Respiratory & Rehab Inc.
Brian Barks, President
Food Bank for the Heartland
Eric Arneson
Lindsay Corporation
Jeff Austin
Huffman Engineering
Mary Balluff
Community Volunteer
Tom Burke
Dell EMC
Roger Deal
Sequoia Wealth Partners, Inc.
Matthew DeBoer
HDR Architecture
Rick Hansen
Conagra Brands
Tom McLaughlin
One World Health Center
Elizebeth Murphy
Emspace + Lovgren
Melissa Taylor
Mutual of Omaha
Pamela Tuma
Gavillon
Susan Violi
MECA
Steve Wallace
PayPal
Stephen Gehring, Legal Counsel
Cline Williams
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us. But thousands of our food-insecure neighbors do not have regular access to meals. Children, families, seniors, and veterans are finding themselves in the unexpected position of needing emergency food assistance for the first time.
The need for meals is more critical than ever.
Last year, we worked relentlessly to help Nebraskans and Iowans devastated by the historic flooding across the Heartland. We distributed more food than ever before — until now. In April 2019, we purchased 400,000 pounds of food. In April 2020, we purchased 1 million pounds of food — more than double during last year’s flood relief efforts.
From March 15, 2020, to May 15, 2020, the Food Bank distributed an astounding 3,974,012 meals. And, we will continue working with our partners to provide urgent meals in the months to come.
During this unprecedented time, I am grateful to the community for its extraordinary support. Thank you to our donors, volunteers, pantry partners, and Food Bank staff. You are making a difference for our neighbors who are struggling. It is our business to help, but we couldn’t do it without you.
With gratitude,
Brian Barks
President & CEO
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 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 2019, 45 percent of the food received by the Food Bank came from corporate donors such as manufacturers, grocers and retail stores; 28 percent was purchased by the Food Bank; 25 percent came from USDA commodities; 2 percent from food drives
The Food Bank has an operating budget of $8.2 million and employs 55 people. On average, about 35 percent of the Food Bank’s revenue comes from individual donors; 25 percent is provided by corporate donors; 28 percent comes via foundations. The remaining 12 percent consists of gifts from civic groups, churches and schools.
No. The IRS prohibits food banks from selling food. The IRS does allow food banks to request partner organizations to contribute a shared maintenance fee to defray the cost of soliciting, collecting, storing and distributing food. The shared maintenance fee differs per item ranging from 0-16 cents per pound. There is no shared maintenance on produce, bakery, government commodities and soda. About 50 percent of the food distributed by the Food Bank has no shared maintenance fee. Partner organizations are not allowed to sell food they receive from Food Bank for the Heartland and must distribute to individuals. If a partner organization cannot pay the recommended shared maintenance fee, the Food Bank will work with that organization to address the costs in another way.
