All Faiths Food Bank Receives $300000 Grant
ByStaffMarch 2, 2022
Adeana Osika, director of health and nutrition programs for All Faiths Food Bank, with a Food Rx box
Image: Courtesy Photo
All Faiths Food Bank has been awarded a grant of $300,000 from the Florida Blue Foundation. The grant will enhance the food banks pediatric hunger screening efforts, initiate a new Food Rx program, and support evaluation. The funds will be distributed over a three-year period.
In 2019, AFFB initiated a three-year pilot partnering with health care providers to screen families with children. Using the validated screening tool Hunger Vital Sign, the health care partner screens families with children for food insecurity. Positive screens are referred to All Faiths Food Bank and clients are contacted by one of the organizations benefits specialists for additional assessment, connection with food resources, benefits assistance, and referrals for other community services. The grant from the Florida Blue Foundation will fund expansion of the pediatric hunger screening program to mental health providers, implement on-site Food Rx , and enable All Faiths to evaluate the impact of the pediatric hunger initiative.
AFFB is one of 12 organizations selected by the Florida Blue Foundation to receive a portion of its recent $3.8 million investment to address food security in the state.
Hunger Relief Organization Again Partners With Sarasota County Schools Libraries Other Organizations To Feed Children While School Is Out
Nearly half of the 43,000 students enrolled at Sarasota County schools participate in free and reduced meal programs while, in DeSoto County, all of the nearly 5,000 enrolled students rely on these meals during the school year. But when school ends, students don’t enjoy the benefit of those meals.
For the past eight years, in order to fill the “hunger gap” for children who lose access to meals and food pantries at school, All Faiths Food Bank annually launches its Campaign Against Summer Hunger, which includes fundraising and then using those funds to secure and distribute food to children in need. This year with the support of lead investors the Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, and William G. and Marie Selby Foundation as well as numerous generous members of the community All Faiths exceeded its goal of $1.6 million to serve at least 35,000 students and siblings over the course of the summer.
In order to reach as many area children as possible, All Faiths Food Bank works with numerous partners, including Sarasota and DeSoto County Schools’ Food and Nutrition Services . During FNS distributions at select school campuses, All Faiths provides supplemental food resources: backpacks filled with healthy foods and snacks and boxes of fresh produce.
Find Out What’s Happening In Sarasotawith Free Real
From April 1-May 15, All Faiths Food Bank’s Campaign Against Summer Hunger the community’s strongest line of defense against child hunger returns for its ninth year. Through the food bank’s partners and summer programs, All Faiths works to make sure children receive the help they need. The hunger relief organization is grateful that lead investors Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation, Gulf Coast Community Foundation and the Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee are returning again to continue their steadfast support of the Campaign.
The immediate past board president of All Faiths, Nelle Miller, is the 2022 Campaign chair. Miller is determined to rally the community in the efforts to ensure healthy foods are available for our community’s children.
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All Faiths Food Bank In Sarasota Becomes More Resource
Michelle Starr
All Faiths Food Bank has been relieving hunger in the Sarasota, Florida, community since 1989, and like other social service providers across the country, demand surged in 2020 as Covid-19 spread across the country.
In fact, 49% of All Faiths clients were new last year.
In order to keep up with need, the food bank took a number of measures including increasing shifts, created pre-packaged no touch boxes, started a drive-thru model, held mass distributions in key locations and partnered with Sarasota and DeSoto County School Districts, Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County, Children First and Girls Inc. to distribute food to children and families.
Their work during the pandemic has been a massive undertaking yet did not encompass everything they accomplished.
The organization had been making a number of energy and water efficiency upgrades to reduce its environmental footprint and cut costs. It also wanted to improve the indoor air quality for the wellness of its staff and volunteers, especially since Covid-19 is an airborne virus and transmission could potentially be reduced with better ventilation.
Southface Institute helped us through the entire process as a true partner in our success, said Sandra Frank, CEO of All Faiths Food Bank. Not only did we receive expert advice and education on sustainability from Southface, but every penny of the savings we will enjoy due to the improvements we made will be reinvested in our critical, lifesaving work.
Ivan & Judith Mobile Pantry Volunteers And Donors

We are so thrilled with our experience at All Faiths Food Bank. We have been donors for some time but now with other activities and commitments on pause, it has been a great time to get involved more fully with All Faiths and we have been so happy to do so! We have volunteered a good deal and have found All Faiths to be so well organized, which is critical when you do so much! In addition, having completed our first mobile food pantry, which is our real passion, we are even more thrilled. It was beyond hot and after the first hour of packing frozen meats and then 2+ hours giving out 15lb boxes of fruits and veggies, we were soaked and tired, but proud to be part of it all.
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Hunger In Sarasota And Desoto
Sadly hunger hurts our most vulnerable: children, seniors and veterans. According to the local ALICE study, in 2018, 46 percent of households in Florida could not afford basic needs such as housing, childcare, food, health care, and transportation. ALICE refers to the population in our community that are Asset Limited, Income Constrained Employed. The ALICE population represents those among us who are working, but due to childcare costs, transportation challenges, high cost of living and so much more are living paycheck to paycheck.
You can read the full 2018 local ALICE study on financial hardship in Sarasota and DeSoto communities here.
Giving Challenge 202: Meals On Wheels Plus And All Faiths Food Bank
SARASOTA, Fla. – There are just a few more hours in the 2022 Giving Challenge.
And as that 24-hour challenge continues, we hope you will consider donating to two organizations very important to many in the Suncoast. ABC7 has worked alongside both organizations and can vouch for the changes they make and the pantries and bellies they fill.
Meals on Wheels Plus of Manatee County assists individuals to live independently by providing nutrition and caring, supportive services. You can donate to their Giving Tuesday page here.
All Faiths Food Bank has consistently served those in need through the pandemic and through shortages of supplies. The current state of our economy is hitting the most at-risk in our community hard especially children. So many families are working harder than ever to make ends meet. Heres how you can give now to All Faiths Food Bank.
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All Faiths Food Bank Inc
Together with our partners, we provide healthy solutions to end hunger in our community.
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Legal name of organization: All Faiths Food Bank, Inc.
All Faiths Food Store, Inc.
Food Banks, Food Pantries
Food Service, Free Food Distribution Programs
Nutrition Programs
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Sign in or create an account to view Form 990 for 2020, 2019 and 2018.
Create A Lasting Legacy
Leave a Legacy with All Faiths Food Bank by including the food bank in your will or estate plans and become a member of our Ending Hunger Society.
In acknowledgment of your commitment to ending hunger in our community, you will be invited to special events and receive an annual Legacy newsletter.
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All Faiths Food Bank Partners With Florida Healthy Kids Corporation
ByStaffOctober 12, 2021
Image: Courtesy Photo
All Faiths Food Bank has embarked on a new partnership with the Florida Healthy Kids Corporation, which launched in August. As part of the outreach effort, All Faiths will educate parents about Florida KidCare health and dental coverage and help sign up their children. All Faiths works in a similar fashion to educate and enroll community members in the SNAP program, to help community members benefit from nutritional support. Florida KidCare is made up of four unique programs: Medicaid for children , MediKids , Florida Healthy Kids and Childrens Medical Services Managed Care Plan . The program exists to increase the number of insured children in Florida by offering affordable, quality health and dental insurance.
Laura Mobile Pantry Volunteer And Client Story Collector
Ive been involved with the incredible organization All Faiths Food Bank since the summer helping lift boxes of food, sort, pack and placing bags into open trunks of waiting cars.
The grateful thank yous from mothers with children in back seats, housekeepers with buckets and cleaning supplies in their trunks, older couples many who never expected to be in these lines will always remain with me. My job is to interview clients open to sharing their stories at Mobile Pantries.
Walking among the lines of cars in the parking lot of my former High School, I spoke with people from all walks of life. Stories, even laughtergrateful clients and the hardworking volunteers Ive been fortunate to work alongside. I am incredibly humbled, I believe most people are good, and I hope to hold this feeling. I hope we can all remember to be kind to one another and see the best in our fellow humans.
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All Faiths Food Bank Ceo Sandra Frank On Feeding Our Neighbors In This Time Of Need
ByIlene DentonMay 7, 2020
All Faiths Food Bank staff member Denise Cotler. Photo by Cliff Roles.
Image: Courtesy Photo
In a graphic illustration of how the coronavirus pandemic has shaken residents of Sarasota and Desoto counties, All Faiths Food Bank coordinated a 113 percent increase in food distribution from mid-March to mid-April vs. 2019distributing more than 2 million pounds of food in that one months time, says CEO Sandra Frank. It facilitated an even greater 138 percent increase in the two weeks from mid-April to May 1.
On top of everything else it is doing, the food bank plans two mass distributions to feed 4,600 people each: this Saturday, May 9, at CoolToday Park in North Port and May 16 at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota.
Frank talked with us how the nonprofit organization is coping with the challenges of COVID-19, and how it will use that unprecedented $621,000 it raised from this months Giving Challenge to help our neighbors in need.
How have the food banks operations changed since the coronavirus pandemic began?
Everything has changed. We lost our volunteer core, we lost our major food supply lines, and because of no-touch, low-touch rules we had to change our distribution methodology. We have to pre-package everything now.
Tell us more.
You temporarily cant accept donations of canned goods and other food from the public.
Food bank staffers packing food for distribution.
Image: Courtesy Photo
How does All Faiths distribute food?
Whats next?
All Faiths Food Bank Reviving Walk To End Summer Hunger

ByStaffMarch 15, 2022
Walkers during the 2019 event going over the Ringling Bridge.
Image: Courtesy Photo
All Faiths Food Bank is bringing back its popular Walk to End Summer Hunger event, after two years off due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The event is the kick-off for the annual Campaign Against Summer Hunger, which supports efforts to feed area children when they do not have access to food at school.
The walk will take place Sunday, March 27, at 8 a.m. at Nathan Benderson Park organizers expect attendance of approximately 500 members of the community. Participants can choose between a one-mile fun walk or a 5K walk. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children registration includes a T-shirt and lite breakfast. Click here for more information.
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All Faiths Food Bank Plans Mass Food Distributions In Sarasota County
ByStaffMay 6, 2020
Image: Shutterstock
All Faiths Food Bank is organizing two mass food distributions in Sarasota County this month to help residents impacted by COVID-19. The events will take place in the parking lots at CoolToday Park in Venice on May 9 and Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota on May 16. Both distributionswhich are first come, first-servedwill begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 2 p.m. or until food runs out. The food bank has purchased nearly 10,000 gallons of milk from Dakin Dairy Farms and produce from local Florida farmers, obtained with support from Feeding Florida these items will be distributed at both events. The stadiums have donated the use of their facilities for the food distributions. The National Guard will provide on-site assistance with the massive effort.
All Faiths Food Bank Receives $225000 To Support Covid
ByStaffMay 29, 2020
Image: Shutterstock
All Faiths Food Bank announced this week that it has received $225,000 in gifts to support its COVID-19 response efforts. The funds come from The Stone Foundation, Venice Yacht Club Charitable Foundation, The Florida Blue Foundation, Publix Supermarket Charities, Hancock Whitney Bank, St. Armands Key Lutheran Church, Venice Lions Club, Iberia Bank, Tiny Hands Foundation, Siesta Key Chapel, Caldwell Trust Company, Canandaigua Trust, State Farm, Zenith and St. Boniface Episcopal Church.
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User Questions And Answers
Answer a question below ONLY IF you know the answerHow do I volunteer?Do you know if I can get food delivered to me?Do I need to make an appointment?How do I make a donation?Can I do my community service hours at this location?What type of documentation do I need to apply for food?
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They have also been very helpful and care about people. They will provide anything they can. This is one of God’s biggest blessings here.
Very helpful don’t know what I would do without the help. Thank you so much!
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Daniela Malo Hired For New Role
All Faiths Food Bank has recently hired Daniela Malo in the newly-established role of associate director of development. In this role, Malo will play an active role in increasing the organization’s capacity through securing significant gifts to further its mission. The primary objective of this new position is to cultivate and steward a portfolio of major donors while also encouraging existing supporters to consider deeper engagement with the food bank/hunger relief organization.
Prior to coming to All Faiths, Malo spent nearly four years with Make-A-Wish Southern Florida, rising to her position as the organization’s regional director she was responsible for assisting in developing the strategic plan, leading all fundraising efforts – including grants, corporate support, major gifts, individual giving and event management – and building the organization’s presence in the region while maintaining a strong fundraising base. Previous employers included Feeding Children Everywhere in Orlando, Fla. and the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence.
For more about All Faiths Food Bank, visit allfaithsfoodbank.org.
Who We Are
All Faiths Food Bank was founded by a group of individuals who, through their respective organizations, were feeding the hungry. They combined efforts in 1989 to incorporate as a 501 nonprofit organization. Since then, AFFB has been the only Food Bank serving Sarasota and DeSoto Counties. It has been a Certified Member of Feeding America since 1990.
In 2016, the Food Bank changed its mission representing a shift in how we address hunger and an understanding that hunger is a health issue. Since then AFFBs new mission has been: Together with our partners, we provide healthy solutions to end hunger in our community.
In 2018 a new brand was born one that is fresh, engaging, and mission-implicit in design. The new brand logo visually re-defines and energizes AFFB underneath our mission to provide healthy solutions to end hunger in our community.