Capital Area Food Bank facts for kids
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| Formation | October 24, 1979 |
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| Type | 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization |
| Headquarters | Michigan Park, Washington, D.C. |
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Region
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Washington metropolitan area |
| Services | Hunger relief, nutrition education, healthy food access |
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Founder and former President
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Lynn Brantley (1980–2012) |
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Former President and CEO
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Nancy Roman (2013–2017) |
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President and CEO
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Radha Muthiah (2018– ) |
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Board Chairman
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Peter Schnall |
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Parent organization
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Feeding America |
| Subsidiaries | Capital Area Food Bank Foundation |
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Revenue (2014)
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$53,559,173 |
| Expenses (2014) | $59,912,375 |
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Staff (2013)
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153 |
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Volunteers (2013)
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21,000 |
The Capital Area Food Bank is a big organization in the Washington metropolitan area that works to help people who are hungry. They also help with problems linked to not having enough good food, like poor nutrition or health issues.
They team up with over 450 groups in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. They also deliver food directly to places that are hard to reach. Each year, the Capital Area Food Bank helps almost half a million people get healthy food.
In 2015, the food bank gave out nearly 45 million pounds of food. This is like providing 36 million meals! Besides food, they also teach people about nutrition and offer cooking classes. This helps people learn how to buy and cook healthy meals even if they have a small budget.
The Capital Area Food Bank serves many areas. These include Washington, D.C., and counties like Montgomery and Prince George's in Maryland. In Virginia, they help people in Arlington, Fairfax, and Prince William counties, plus cities like Alexandria and Manassas.
About 21,000 volunteers help the Capital Area Food Bank every year. They sort food, teach classes, and do many other important jobs. The food bank is also part of a larger group called Feeding America.
Contents
How the Food Bank Started and Grew
The Capital Area Food Bank officially started on October 24, 1979. But they consider January 15, 1980, to be their founding day. This was on Martin Luther King Jr.'s fifty-first birthday.
Before the food bank, the government's Food Stamp Program was the main way to help hungry people. But there were plans to cut back this program in the early 1980s. So, two local groups, the United Planning Organization and the Interfaith Conference, started the food bank.
In its first year, the food bank helped almost 100 organizations. They delivered about 1,540 pounds (700 kilograms) of food each month. Through the 1980s, the food bank grew. They partnered with local businesses, like The Washington Post.
In 1991, the Capital Area Food Bank opened a new warehouse. It was in the Brookland neighborhood in northeast Washington, D.C. This new warehouse was much bigger than their first one. It is still used by the food bank today.
In 1998, another warehouse opened in Lorton, Virginia. This warehouse helps people living in Northern Virginia.
The first "Blue Jeans Ball" was held in 2004 at Catholic University. It was a fun event to raise money.
The food bank has grown a lot over the years. In 1981, they processed just over one million pounds (460,000 kilograms) of food. Less than 25 years later, in 2005, they gave out over 20 million pounds (9 million kilograms) of food. This helped over 275,000 people. This made it the largest food bank in the area.
By 2007, the food bank gave out 20 million pounds of food. They helped about 383,000 people in the Washington area.
In 2012, the Capital Area Food Bank moved to a new distribution center. This allowed them to give out even more food. They also expanded their spaces for teaching classes.
In 2013, the Urban Demonstration Garden finished its first season. This garden is behind the food bank. It is a place where food is grown and people learn about gardening.
In 2014, the food bank reached 540,300 people. They provided 42 million pounds of food. They also started the Fruits and Vegetables Fund. This fund helps the food bank work with local farmers to grow fresh produce.
In 2016, the food bank changed its policy for accepting food. They started to prefer foods that were lower in sugar and salt, and higher in fiber. With help from stores, donations of unhealthy foods dropped by 84% in just one year.
In 2017, it became easier for thousands of people to learn about affordable cooking. The food bank's recipe cards were put in all 93 Giant grocery stores in the area. These cards show how to make a healthy meal for a family of four for $7 or less.
Important Visitors and Support
Because it is close to the U.S. government, the Capital Area Food Bank has been visited by many important politicians. Four U.S. presidents in a row have visited the food bank. These include George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama.
In 1990, President George H.W. Bush famously said he did not like broccoli. In response, about ten tons of broccoli were sent to the White House! Barbara Bush, the First Lady, then donated all that broccoli to the Capital Area Food Bank. That same year, the president visited the food bank. He included it in his Points of Light Foundation, which helps volunteer groups.
On Inauguration Day in 1993, over 35,000 cans of food were collected for the Capital Area Food Bank. Even Tipper Gore donated a can. In 1999, President Bill Clinton volunteered at the food bank. George W. Bush did the same in 2002.
In 2004, before the Super Bowl, Laura Bush, the U.S. First Lady, visited the food bank. She encouraged Americans to help charities. Other politicians have also supported the food bank. For example, in 2005, Congressmen from Maryland and Virginia helped get $1.3 million in federal money for the food bank.
Client Leadership Councils: Helping People Lead the Way
The Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) is special because it uses Client Leadership Councils (CLCs). These are groups made up of about two dozen people who rely on the food bank for food. They help guide the food bank's programs.
These CLC members are trained for nine months. They learn how to share their stories and speak up for what they need. They also learn how to talk to the press and help shape the food bank's plans and government rules.
People who want to join a CLC go through an application and interview process. To be eligible, they must be over 18, live in the food bank's service area, and need help getting food. The food bank works with its partners to find many different people to join. This makes sure the group represents all the people the food bank helps.
CLC meetings happen monthly from September to May. Members attend three-day training sessions. In these sessions, they learn new skills and hear from experts on food issues. They also suggest ideas for programs and policies to the food bank staff and local leaders. As time goes on, they work with the food bank staff to make these changes happen.
All CLC members are paid for their time spent in program events. Their travel costs to meetings are also covered.
The CLC program has made a big difference in how the food bank and local lawmakers fight hunger. For example, they have helped change policies like the Virginia Dream Act. They also helped get money for programs like Fair Shot DC in the D.C. Mayor's budget. They have also helped the food bank improve its food distribution. They have helped bring fresh produce to monthly food boxes. And they have helped the food bank understand how food needs change for different ages and backgrounds.
See also
- Feeding America – the nationwide food bank network that includes the Capital Area Food Bank
- List of food banks
