Hunger in Idaho

The Idaho Foodbank (IFB), an independent nonprofit organization for more than 25 years, has been working with a network of independent partner agencies to distribute free emergency food to individuals and families in need.  This network of more than 200 partner agencies consists of emergency food pantries, community kitchens, shelters and programs that work together to relieve hunger in Idaho.

IFB, as well as being a statewide distribution system,  provides important programs such as: The Backpack Program which supplies nutrition to school children who otherwise would go hungry over the weekend; Mobile Pantry, a program that provides emergency food to rural areas lacking emergency food services; The Grocery Alliance Program which partners with grocery stores and supermarkets to provide fresh nutritious food into the IFB network; The Idaho Community Gardens Program which coordinates direct connections between local community gardens and local emergency food pantries throughout the state.  These programs serve an important role in filling the gaps for communities which lack resources for families and children.

Contributions made to IFB come from many sources such as individuals, grants, and corporate donations; it does not depend on government funding or subsidies. Food donations are accepted from manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers, community and corporate food drives, and through the national Feeding America network. Tax deductible cash donations are critically needed to underwrite the costs associated with acquiring, transporting, warehousing and distributing donated food.

• For FY 2010 8.9 million pounds or 6.95 million meals were donated. In FY 2009 IFB and our agencies distributed 6.8 million pounds of food or 5.3 million meals. For calendar year 2009 7.87 million pounds or 6.15 million meals were donated.
• IFB provides emergency food more than 119,000 times a month.
• The USDA has ranked Idaho the 29^th hungriest state, down from 24^th in 2005-2007 and 13^th in 2004-2006.
• 66,628 Idaho children (16.3%) are food insecure, the 33^rd highest rate in the country, down from 6^th highest.
• The 2009 poverty rate in Idaho was 13.7% (209,000 people), child poverty rate in Idaho was 16% (63,800 children)
• Of those assisted by IFB network partners 26% are children, 54% adults, and 20% seniors and 206,433 families.

• IFB has 45 full and part-time employees at three facilities (Boise, Lewiston, and Pocatello) to help the people of Idaho who rely upon our services.

• IFB operates on a 9% administrative overhead, assuring that public support goes directly to programs and the acquisition and distribution of food.

• $1 donated provides 3.89 pounds of food.

• $1 donated provides $6.00 worth of food.

• $1 donated provides three nutritious meals.