How’s the Community-Service Model of Food Banking Working?

[Viable Food News Desk]

Publisher: Food Bank News
Published: July 7, 2026
Source: Read at Food Bank News
Category: Food Access Policy

Greater Cleveland Food Bank opened its Community Resource Center at the end of 2023, with a grocery-style pantry and space for nearly 20 community partners. The center served more than 53,000 unduplicated individuals, and visitors made more than 24,000 connections with 17 partners. Feeding Tampa Bay plans to expand its Causeway Center model across its ten-county, 9,000-square-mile service area. The organization started with about 35 nonprofit partners and now works with about 25.

Why this matters: The model gives food-access organizations a way to connect shoppers with services such as utility assistance, health care, diaper support, housing, and transportation. It also shows that expansion requires staff capacity, data-sharing systems, and careful partner selection.

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