The mission of the Treasure Coast Food Bank is to obtain and distribute food and needed products through partner agencies to help alleviate hunger in Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie Counties.
The values of the Treasure Coast Food Bank include:
- Quality – we are committed to excellence in services, products and operation.
- Respect – we treat all people with respect, dignity and courtesy.
- Stewardship – we use our resources wisely, with accountability to the public and concern for the environment.
- Integrity – we are honest and fair in our dealings with others.
The Treasure Coast Food Bank (TCFB) was started in 1988 by a group of concerned volunteers and clergy on the Treasure Coast. In 1989, the group was able to obtain storage space, incorporate and become a Subsidiary Distribution Organization (SDO) with the assistance of Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. Affiliated with Feeding America, the Nation’s Food Bank Network, TCFB draws on both nationally allocated and local donations of food and grocery products to share with food assistance programs in the region.
The Food Bank building suffered heavy damage in the devastating 2004 hurricanes. A generous benefactor gifted the facility we operate from today. The new parcel is sufficient in size to expand our warehouse and operations when needed.
The Food Bank warehouse is located in St. Lucie County in order to remain centrally located for access by surrounding counties. Most partner agencies travel to the Food Bank warehouse to pick up their orders.
The food bank’s delivery service was started in 2004 to assist food access for rural and hard to reach programs as well as to minimize transportation costs to agencies throughout the four county region. In continued efforts to enhance agency food distribution efficiency, TCFB upgraded its technology with the implementation of a “food bank” integrated software program including an agency “online order system” in 2007. Innovative food procurement and assistance program partnerships have helped fill gaps in access to food assistance.
TCFB is a non-profit center for regional food distribution and is part of Feeding America, the nation’s Food Bank network. Our mission is to procure surplus and donated food, then transfer it in usable quantities to over 160 non-profit and faith based agencies that have feeding programs in our four county districts.
Each agency is monitored annually for safe food storage and handling and record keeping. Agencies support the centralization, transportation, and warehousing of food by contributing a "shared handling fee" of up to .18 per pound of food they draw. Collectively the fee supports approximately 24% of the TCFB budget. Many agencies travel to the Food Bank to pick up food orders. By participating with the Food Bank partner agencies report saving up to 75% of their food costs.
Partner agencies include: Emergency food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens; children’s feeding programs such as
Kids Cafe,
BackPack and after-school programs; senior citizen meal feeding programs; residential treatment programs and other social service centers.
Partner agencies are located in Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties that cover over 1900 square miles. Approximately (13%) of the population in the Food Bank’s service area live below the poverty level. More than (43%) of these are children under 18. Forty-six percent of households with hungry children are considered the “working poor” as at least one adult in the household is employed.
In times of disaster the Treasure Coast Food Bank is able to secure food, water, cleaning and personal supplies for distribution to victims of disaster. The Food Bank collaborates with local and state Emergency Management Agencies, FEMA, American Red Cross, Salvation Army and other disaster relief organizations to coordinate distribution of relief supplies to disaster victims. In some communities the Food Bank will supervise the receipt and distribution of all donated food and water coming into the community by networking with other agencies through local Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) and other networking groups. The Food Bank participates in long term recovery as needed. During Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in 2004, Treasure Coast Food Bank distributed an amount of food equal to our annual distribution to disaster victims during the eleven weeks of disaster response.
Donations to the Food Bank help many - from disadvantaged children to seniors on limited incomes and every situation in between. Most individuals are 1-3 paychecks from poverty if an unexpected emergency arises. Approximately 85% of those fed with Food Bank donations are families of 4 that earn less than $26,000 annually; 68% work full time; 43% are children; 42% black - 42% white with a rapidly increasing Hispanic population; and 13% elderly.
Meeting The Need
The challenge of the Treasure Coast Food Bank is, simply, to meet the need. The Food Bank distributes close to 3 million pounds annually. The primary barrier to fully accomplishing the goal of meeting the need is the limited capacity of our facility that serves as the Food Bank’s home. To reach the goal of recovering and distributing increased frozen, fresh, canned, and boxed food; the Food Bank has embarked upon a project to expand our current facility by adding additional warehouse space.
