Food bank
A food bank is a non-profit, charitable organization that distributes food to those who have difficulty purchasing enough to avoid hunger, usually through intermediaries like food pantries and soup kitchens. Some food banks distribute food directly with their food pantries.
St. Mary's Food Bank was the world's first food bank, established in the US in 1967. Since then, many thousands have been set up all over the world. In Europe, their numbers grew rapidly after the global increase in the price of food which began in late 2006, and especially after the financial crisis of 2007–2008 began to worsen economic conditions for those on low incomes. Likewise, the inflation and economic crisis of the 2020s has exponentially driven low and even some middle income class consumers to at least partially get their food [1][2]
The growth of food banks has been welcomed by commentators who see them as examples of active, caring citizenship. Other academics and commentators have expressed concern that the rise of food banks may erode political support for welfare provision. Researchers have reported that in some cases food banks can be inefficient compared with state-run welfare.
Africa[edit]
The Egyptian Food Bank was established in Cairo in 2006, and less than ten years later, food banks run on similar principles spread to other Arab countries in North Africa and the Middle East.[109]
In Sub-Saharan Africa, there are charity-run food banks that operate on a semi-commercial system that differs from both the more common "warehouse" and "frontline" models. In some rural LDCs such as Malawi, food is often relatively cheap and plentiful for the first few months after the harvest but then becomes more and more expensive. Food banks in those areas can buy large amounts of food shortly after the harvest, and then as food prices start to rise, they sell it back to local people throughout the year at well below market prices. Such food banks will sometimes also act as centres to provide smallholders and subsistence farmers with various forms of support.[110]
Formed in 2009, Food Bank South Africa (Food Bank SA) is South Africa's national food banking network and a member of The Global Food Banking Network. Food Bank South Africa's vision is "A South Africa without hunger and malnutrition".[111]
Worldwide[edit]
Since the 1980s food banking has spread around the world. There are over 40 countries and regions with active food bank groups under the umbrella of The Global Food Banking Network.[112][113] Countries and regions in the international network include Australia, Israel, Turkey, Russia, India, Taiwan, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Guatemala, South Africa, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and the UK. There are also several countries with food banks which have not yet joined the network, either because they do not yet meet the required criteria or they have not applied.[103][114]
Climate change[edit]
Food banking and related models have been proposed as a key solution to the reduction greenhouse gas emissions.[115] Around 8% of total emissions are due to food loss and waste.[116] Through food rescue programs, food banks help reduce emissions by ensuring the productive use of energy involved in the production of food and by diverting food away from landfills, where it would have spoiled and generated methane and other greenhouse gasses.[117] One estimate puts the greenhouse gas avoidance from food banks at more than 1.7 million tons in 2021.[118]