Feed • Educate • Advocate

The Idaho Foodbank vision statement: A hunger-free Idaho.

The Idaho Foodbank, established in 1984, is an independent nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization with warehouses in Boise, Lewiston and Pocatello. It is the largest hunger relief organization and the largest distributor of free food assistance in Idaho.

Food distribution is made possible by generous donors, thousands of volunteers and a network of more than 200 nonprofit partners that receive food from the Foodbank’s warehouses and distribute it directly to people in need. Our partners include food pantries, senior centers, rescue missions, community kitchens and other feeding programs. The Foodbank also provides direct service through programs such as the Mobile Pantry, the Backpack Program, Picnic in the Park and School Pantry. It also offers Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters, a national program that teaches low-income families how to get more food for their money and better nourishment from those foods.

The system works extremely well. Last fiscal year, through its network, the Foodbank distributed 11.4 million pounds of food or 9.5 million meals. This is an increase of 800,000 pounds or 8% from the previous year and 65% more than four years ago, but it is still not enough to meet the need we’re seeing. The Foodbank serves an average of 116,000 people per month.

Working in partnership with Feeding America – the national network of more than 200 food banks – and with the national, regional and local food industry, The Idaho Foodbank’s mission is to help feed, educate and advocate for Idaho’s hungry through a network of community-based partners and to develop efficient solutions to strengthen individuals, families and communities.