Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Food Bank for the Heartland is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that distributes food to 535 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 FY 2017, 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.
Tara Stingley, Chairman
Cline Williams
Mary Balluff, Chair-elect
Community Volunteer
Sally Christensen, Secretary
First National Bank
Nate Christ, Treasurer
Access Bank
Susan E. Ogborn, President
Food Bank for the Heartland
Jeff Austin
Community Volunteer
Roger Deal
Sequoia Wealth Partners, Inc.
Zac Fredrickson
Holland Basham Architects
Rick Hansen
Conagra Brands
Craig Kinnison
Farm Credit Services of America
Denise McCauley
WoodmenLife
Tom McLaughlin
One World Health Center
Todd Moeller
Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture
Susan Nelson
Community Volunteer
Melissa Taylor
Mutual of Omaha
David Ulferts
UNL Extension
Chad Werner
First Data Corporation
Jim Winterscheid
Travel & Transport
Stephen Gehring, Legal Counsel
Cline Williams
Vitriol, anger, and blame
Ride on the back of fear
Giving birth to anxiety, hatred and
Vitriol, anger and blame
As this letter is written, spring is poking its face out over the slush and taking a chance on 2018. Spring is also offering us a chance for a new start, maybe much more generously than New Year’s did when all we really wanted to do was eat mac and cheese and huddle under our covers.
Spring is offering us a chance to find a new response to fear, a response of gratitude and positive action rather than vitriol, anger and blame. Spring is offering us a chance to replant our brains as well as our gardens: perhaps if we can’t avoid making assumptions about others, we could try making assumptions based on positive intent remembering that most people get up each day intending to do the very best they can in whatever situations they find themselves.
At Food Bank for the Heartland, we want to replace assumptions about others with understanding and to replace anger with acceptance. We want to operate from a belief that no one chooses to be hungry and that there is enough food for everyone in this country. We want to remember that blame is an impotent response to fear and vitriol only fosters defensiveness. Thank you for helping us remember to be our best selves and thank you for helping others set aside the anxiety that hunger can cause and become their best selves as well.
Sincerely,
Susan Ogborn
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 535 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 2017, 46 percent of the food received by the Food Bank came from corporate donors such as manufacturers, grocers and retail stores; 32 percent was purchased by the Food Bank; 20 percent came from USDA commodities; 2 percent from food drives
The Food Bank has an operating budget of $9.4 million and employs 50 people. On average, about 37 percent of the Food Bank’s revenue comes from individual donors; 35 percent is provided by corporate donors; 25 percent comes via foundations. The remaining 3 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.
