5 Organizations That Provide Food To Those In Need

Groups That Feed People In Need

The Prevalence Of Global Hunger

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

The 3 Main Types of Local Hunger Relief Organizations

1. Food bank: Stores donated food and distributes it to charities, meal programs, and food pantries
2. Food pantry: Gives directly to those in need, often unprepared food to low-income families
3. Meal center (aka soup kitchen): Serves prepared meals to the homeless and hungry

Items Food Organizations Need The Most

• Applesauce
• Canned goods
• Cooking oils
• Crackers
• Dried herbs & spiced
• Dried or canned fruit
• Granola bars
• Instant mashed potatoes
• Nuts
• Pasta
• Peanut butter
• Rice
• Shelf-stable stew, soup, and chili
• Whole grain cereal

Ending Hunger Now

In Depth

Food is integral to our lives as humans, so enmeshed in our society that we sometimes take our access to it for granted. But for some, hunger and malnourishment are very real problems that can make day-to-day existence a struggle. Thankfully, there are a multitude of people and groups working to combat hunger and the problems it causes. If you are interested in learning about their efforts, then here are, in no particular order, six organizations that provide food to those in need.

At #1 is Nourish Now, a nonprofit based in Rockville, Maryland. Founded in 2011, the organization takes a two-pronged approach to its work, targeting both waste and hunger. With an emphasis on food recovery, Nourish Now collects donations from grocers, restaurants, and other sources and redistributes them to individuals, families, and groups in need. Since its inception, it has facilitated the donation of over two million pounds of food.

Each month, the nonprofit reaches more than 800 families, serving a well-balanced five-day supply of food through its Families First model. Additionally, its Nourish Neighborhoods program identifies areas most in need using data from the website FoodStat, while its SNACK Initiative combats hunger in schools by providing healthy snacks before lunch. If you are interested in supporting Nourish Now, you can donate food directly or can go to one of its events, like its annual charity golf tournament.

Each month, the nonprofit reaches more than 800 families, serving a well-balanced five-day supply of food through its Families First model.

In the #2 spot is Haley House. Starting off in 1966 as a shelter run by Kathe and John McKenna, the nonprofit has since grown considerably, while still remaining dedicated to its ideals of breaking down barriers between people and empowering individuals and communities. Based in Boston, Haley House operates with the basic idea that a purposeful approach to how food is used can strengthen bonds between humans, and that all people deserved to be treated with dignity.

Today, Haley House has a variety of components to its work in Boston. Its housing program, for example, has over 100 affordable units throughout the South End, while its Food Pantry provides healthy meals on a weekly basis. It also owns and runs the Haley House Bakery Cafe, which provides work opportunities for recently incarcerated individuals and youth culinary education. Those who wish to contribute to the organization's efforts can volunteer their time or run a clothing drive.

Coming in at #3 is Ceres Community Project. Active in Sonoma and Marin County in California, the organization aims to promote healthy living by providing free and low-cost nutrient-rich food to people suffering from serious illnesses. To this end, it manages three kitchens and two organic production gardens in the Bay Area, and it also encourages young people to participate in the food-growing and meal preparation process.

Active in Sonoma and Marin County in California, the organization aims to promote healthy living by providing free and low-cost nutrient-rich food to people suffering from serious illnesses.

Since its founding, Ceres Community Project has delivered over 650,000 organic meals. Furthermore, the nonprofit has extended its reach beyond California, working with other like-minded organizations since 2009 to replicate the Ceres model. As of 2019, it has collaborated with thirteen similar groups in communities ranging from Tennessee to Denmark. If you are interested in supporting Ceres Community Project, consider joining its Kale Club by making a monthly donation or purchasing its Nourishing Connections Cookbook.

In the #4 spot is MANNA, or Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance. Based in Philadelphia, MANNA helps people with illnesses improve their health by providing free healthy meals and nutrition education. Since 1990, the organization's team of dieticians, chefs, and volunteers have used evidence-based practices to deliver tailored meals to those living with life-threatening illnesses in the Greater Philadelphia area and South Jersey. As of 2019, the nonprofit has provided over fifteen million medically nourishing meals to its clients.

Under its mantra of "Food is Medicine," the MANNA Model seeks to improve quality of life for sick patients while also reducing health care utilization and costs. Beyond providing meals to its clients, it also offers individual and group nutrition education and counseling, while the MANNA Institute focuses on research, evaluation, and dissemination of its findings. Those who are interested in supporting MANNA can make direct donations online or can order some freshly made baked goods, the proceeds of which go to funding the nonprofit.

Those who are interested in supporting MANNA can make direct donations online or can order some freshly made baked goods, the proceeds of which go to funding the nonprofit.

Coming in at #5 is Project Angel Food. Founded in 1989 by Marianne Williamson to help those suffering from HIV-AIDS, the organization today works to provide healthy meals to people suffering from any critical illness in the Los Angeles area. Each year, it prepares and delivers over 600,000 meals to individuals and families affected by life-threatening illnesses.

The delivery service brings food to a client's house once a day, based on a twelve-week plan tailored specifically to the client's needs by a registered dietitian. Project Angel Food also launches specific initiatives on occasion, like its Congestive Heart Failure Pilot Program, a statewide effort to determine if medically tailored diets can improve health outcomes and reduce health care costs. If you are interested in lending a hand to Project Angel Food, consider volunteering or buying a ticket to its annual "Divas Simply Singing" event.