Capital Area Food Bank

WE PROVIDE NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO HELP OUR NEIGHBORS THRIVE TODAY AND BUILD BRIGHTER FUTURES TOMORROW.

FOOD RESOURCING AND LOGISTICS:SHOPPING PARTNERS: THE SHOPPING PARTNERS PROGRAM ENABLES CAFB'S PARTNER NONPROFITS TO CONSERVE THEIR LIMITED RESOURCES BY ORDERING DONATED AND PURCHASED FOOD FROM CAFB FOR NO CHARGE OR AT PRICES SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN RETAIL COST.PARTNER DIRECT: CAFB FACILITATES RETAIL PICK-UP DIRECTLY BETWEEN FOOD BANK PARTNERS AND FOOD DONORS. THIS ALLOWS OUR PARTNERS TO COLLECT DONATIONS DIRECTLY FROM STORES, SAVING ON TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER COSTS.IN FY 2021, THE PANDEMIC CONTINUED TO HAVE PROFOUND IMPACTS ON OUR REGION AS A WHOLE AND ON THE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THAT THE FOOD BANK SERVES. ONGOING NEED CONTINUED TO DRIVE MORE PEOPLE THROUGH OUR PARTNERS' DOORS, AND OUR FOOD DISTRIBUTION CONTINUED AT MORE THAN DOUBLE PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS.WE MAINTAINED OUR RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC THROUGH DISTRIBUTION OF BOTH FRESH PRODUCE AND SHELF-STABLE FOOD BOXES. IN ADDITION, THE FOOD BANK ALSO PROVIDED NEARLY $4.1 MILLION IN SHOPPING GRANT CREDITS TO SUPPORT THE CAPACITY OF OUR PARTNER NONPROFITS TO CONTINUE DISTRIBUTING ENOUGH FOOD TO MEET DEMAND. ACROSS ALL OF CAFB'S PROGRAMS, WE DISTRIBUTED OVER 76 MILLION MEALS TO OUR NEIGHBORS, AN INCREASE OF 110% FROM THE NEARLY 36 MILLION MEALS DISTRIBUTED IN FISCAL YEAR 2020.

GOVERNMENT DISTRIBUTIONS:COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM (CSFP): CAFB PROVIDES INCOME ELIGIBLE SENIORS OVER 60 IN D.C. AND MARYLAND WITH A BAG OF HEALTHY GROCERIES EACH MONTH. IN THE SUMMER, PARTICIPANTS ALSO RECEIVE PRODUCE VOUCHERS REDEEMABLE AT PARTICIPATING FARMER'S MARKETS.THE EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TEFAP): CAFB RECEIVES USDA COMMODITIES AND DISTRIBUTES THEM TO CERTAIN QUALIFIED AGENCIES WITHOUT ANY SERVICE FEES.CORONAVIRUS FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CFAP): DURING FISCAL YEAR 2021, CAFB PARTICIPATED IN CFAP, THROUGH WHICH WE DISTRIBUTED APPROXIMATELY 27 MILLION POUNDS OF LOCALLY SOURCED DAIRY AND PRODUCE.

COMMUNITY DIRECT DISTRIBUTION:THROUGH CAFB'S COMMUNITY DIRECT DISTRIBUTION ACTIVITIES, WE DISTRIBUTE FOOD DIRECTLY INTO THE COMMUNITY IN INSTANCES WHERE A BRICK AND MORTAR PARTNER ISN'T AVAILABLE, OR WHERE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH PARTNER CAPACITY TO MEET DEMAND.SENIOR BROWN BAG: CAFB PROVIDES SENIORS WITH A 30 - 40 POUND BAG OF GROCERIES EACH MONTH. HEALTHY RECIPES, A NUTRITION NEWSLETTER AND INFORMATION ON HOW TO ACCESS COMMUNITY RESOURCES IN SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ALSO INCLUDED.FAMILY MARKETS: HOSTED IN SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT DC, MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA, FAMILY MARKETS OFFER NO COST FOOD FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES IN A CONVENIENT MARKET-LIKE SETTING.MOBILE MARKETS: IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY SITES SUCH AS RECREATION CENTERS AND CHURCHES, THESE MONTHLY NO-COST POP-UP MARKETS BRING FOOD DIRECTLY INTO NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE IT'S NEEDED.COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE: AT THIS MONTHLY FARMER'S MARKET-INSPIRED EVENT, CAFB OFFERS FRESH, SEASONAL PRODUCE AT NO COST. HEALTH, HOUSING AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE ALSO ON SITE AS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR CLIENTS. CURRENTLY, FOUR COMMUNITY MARKETPLACES SERVE HUNDREDS OF CLIENTS ONE SATURDAY A MONTH IN VIRGINIA, MARYLAND AND D.C.JOYFUL FOOD MARKETS: THIS MONTHLY POP-UP GROCERY MARKET TAKES PLACE AT SCHOOLS IN DC'S WARDS 7 AND 8. EACH MARKET PROVIDES FAMILIES WITH HEALTHY, NON-PERISHABLE GROCERIES AND FRESH PRODUCE.FOOD PLUS PILOT PROGRAMMING: IN ADDITION TO THE FOOD BANK'S PROGRAMMING TO PROVIDE FOOD TO FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS THAT MEETS THEIR IMMEDIATE NEEDS, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT IT WILL TAKE MORE THAN FOOD TO ENABLE PEOPLE TO MOVE BEYOND FOOD INSECURITY. FOR THIS REASON, THE FOOD BANK HAS DEVELOPED AN ARRAY OF PILOT PROGRAMMING KNOWN AS "FOOD PLUS." THE FOOD PLUS MODEL INCLUDES A VARIETY OF PILOT PROJECTS THAT "BUNDLE" NUTRITIOUS FOOD WITH OTHER CRITICAL SERVICES SUCH AS HEALTH CARE, SKILL DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, AND MORE. FOOD PLUS IS DESIGNED TO INCENTIVIZE THE USE OF AVAILABLE SUPPORT PROGRAMS WHILE SAVING PARTICIPANTS TIME AND ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR THEM TO CHOOSE BETWEEN SERVICES DUE TO TRANSPORTATION, TIME, OR OTHER CONSTRAINTS. FOOD PLUS IS CENTERED AROUND THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE WE SERVE. BASED ON INPUT FROM OUR CLIENTS, THE FOOD BANK IS DEVELOPING, EXPLORING, AND IMPLEMENTING MULTIPLE PILOT PROJECTS TO SEE WHAT SERVICE BUNDLES MAKE THE LARGEST IMPACT FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS, AND WITH AN AIM OF SCALING THE MOST EFFECTIVE ONES.