Just the Facts

A food bank is not a food shelf – A food bank secures large quantities of food and food-related products from commercial suppliers, concerned citizens, and other sources. After the product is examined and sorted, it is then offered to the Foodbank’s member agencies. Food banks do not give food directly to low income people. There is only one food bank in Vermont – the Vermont Foodbank.

A food shelf is a local, non-profit community agency that directly provides bags or boxes of food to low income people for home preparation and consumption. A food shelf may obtain food from the Foodbank, from individual donations in the community, and through wholesale and/or retail purchase.

Vermont Foodbank is the state’s largest hunger-relief organization, serving communities in all 14 counties of Vermont through a network of 280 food pantries, soup kitchen, shelters, senior centers and after-school programs.

Last year, the Vermont Foodbank distributed nearly 7.5 million pounds of food to as many as 86,000 needy Vermonters who requested charitable food assistance.

The Vermont Foodbank is nationally recognized as one of the most effective and efficient non-profits and food banks in the U.S.

For every $10 donation, the Foodbank can acquire and distribute 25 pounds of food, the equivalent of nearly 20 meals.

Approximately 8,200 different people receive emergency food assistance in any given week in Vermont.

33% of households served by the Vermont Foodbank have at least one child younger than 18 years old.

36% of households served by the Vermont Foodbank include at least one employed adult.

35% of clients served by the Vermont Foodbank do not have access to a working car.

77% of households served by the Vermont Foodbank have incomes 130% the official federal poverty or below

42% of Foodbank clients choose between paying for food and paying for utilities or heating fuel; 23% choose between food and medicine or medical care; and 34% of clients choose between food and paying their rent or mortgage.

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