Rhode Island Community Food Bank Association

TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL RHODE ISLANDERS BY ADVANCING SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM OF HUNGER.

THE FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTED APPROXIMATELY 16,200,000 POUNDS OF FOOD TO MEMBER AGENCIES DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023. DONATIONS OF NON-PERISHABLE FOODS FROM SUPERMARKETS AND THE FOOD INDUSTRY CONTINUE TO BE LIMITED DUE TO IMPROVED EFFICIENCIES AND SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES. COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVES PROVIDE A SMALL AMOUNT OF NON-PERISHABLE FOOD. FORTUNATELY, THE FOOD BANK'S RETAIL RESCUE PROGRAM REMAINS STRONG WITH AGENCIES RECEIVING APPROXIMATELY 1,780,000 POUNDS OF DONATED PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS FROM GROCERY STORES AND SUPERMARKETS. THE FOOD BANK ALSO RECEIVES DONATED FRESH PRODUCE FROM GROWERS AND WHOLESALERS. DONATED FOOD MADE UP APPROXIMATELY 31% OF THE FOOD BANK'S FOOD SUPPLYDURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023.THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) COMMODITY FOOD RECEIVED THROUGH TEFAP DECLINED DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023. PANDEMIC-ERA EMERGENCY FUNDS TO SUPPORT FARMERS AND THE FOOD INDUSTRY HAVE ENDED AND THE FOOD BANK IS ALREADY SEEING TEFAP POUNDS RETURN TO MUCH LOWER PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS. USDA COMMODITIES INCLUDING TEFAP AND CSFP MADE UP APPROXIMATELY 26% OF THE FOOD BANK'S FOOD SUPPLY DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023.THE FOOD BANK PURCHASED APPROXIMATELY 43% OF THEIR FOOD SUPPLY DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023. FOOD ACQUISITION COSTS FOR NEARLY ALL CATEGORIES OF FOOD WERE MORE EXPENSIVE COMPARED TO PRIOR YEAR, FROM MEATS (GROUND BEEF INCREASED $0.90 PER POUND), TO EGGS (INCREASE $0.80 PER POUND), TO RICE (INCREASED $0.33 PER POUND). THE AVERAGE FOOD PURCHASING COST FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023 WAS $0.99 PER POUND. WHILE PURCHASING FOOD IS MORE EXPENSIVE, THE FOOD BANK IS COMMITTED TO ACQUIRING HEALTHY STAPLES, MORE FRESH PRODUCE AND A VARIETY OFCULTURALLY RELEVANT FOOD PRODUCTS FOR MEMBER AGENCIES.

KIDS CAFE SERVES WHOLESOME EVENING MEALS TO CHILDREN AT RISK OF HUNGER, SUPPLEMENTING SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMS. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023, THE FOOD BANK OPERATED FOUR KIDS CAFE SITES, SERVING AN AVERAGE OF 400 CHILDREN A DAY. SITES WERE LOCATED AT THE EAST PROVIDENCE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, THE PAWTUCKET YMCA, THE PAWTUCKET BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, AND THE SEGUE INSTITUTE FOR LEARNING IN CENTRAL FALLS. NEARLY 70,000 MEALS WERE PROVIDED TO THE FOUR SITES DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023. KIDS CAFE MEALS WERE PREPARED BY FOOD BANK CHEFS AND HEALTHY HABITS STAFF.

HEALTHY HABITS IS A NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT WORKS TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN FOOD INSECURITY AND HEALTH FOR GUESTS OF MEMBER AGENCIES BY PROVIDING A COMBINATION OF RELEVANT, SCIENCE-BASED COMMUNITY NUTRITION AND CULINARY EDUCATION. THE FOOD BANK OFFERS CLASSES OVER 4-6 WEEKS, ONE-TIME WORKSHOPS AND DEMONSTRATIONS OF HEALTHY RECIPES AND HEALTHY EATING HABITS. THE FOOD BANK'S NUTRITION EDUCATORS CONDUCT IN-PERSON CLASSES THAT ALLOWED INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND SENIORS TO LEARN ABOUT HEALTHY EATING. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023, NEARLY 140 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN FOURTEEN 4-6 WEEK SERIES CLASSES; 336 PARTICIPATED IN ONE-TIME WORKSHOPS; AND 1,790 PARTICIPATED IN IN-PERSON HEALTHY BITES AND FOOD DEMONSTRATIONS.HEALTHY HABITS ALSO DEVELOPED THE HEALTHY CHEFS ACADEMY FOR CHILDREN PARTICIPATING IN THE FOOD BANK'S KIDS CAFE PROGRAM. THE CURRICULUM FOCUSES ON DEVELOPING PRACTICAL AGE APPROPRIATE KITCHEN SKILLS WITH BASIC RECIPES. EACH NEW KITCHEN SKILL IS PAIRED WITH A RELATED NUTRITION LESSON THAT INSTILLS HEALTHY EATING BEHAVIORS. THIS CURRICULUM WAS PROVIDED AT KIDS CAFE SITES EVERY OTHER MONTH DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023.