Rhode Island Community Food Bank

Healthy Habits Nutrition Education

Healthy Habits is a nutrition education program for clients of member agencies. The Food Bank offers six-week classes and one-time workshops featuring live cooking demonstrations and practical advice on how to stretch the household budget by preparing healthy foods at home using ingredients often found on food pantry shelves.

Ri Community Food Bank Reports Food Need Has Tripled Over Last Two Years

Published on November 21, 2022By Steve Ahlquist

In this report we show that food prices in Rhode Island have gone up by 13 percent in just the past year, said Andrew Schiff, CEO at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. Household incomes that once covered all the expenses and fed the family are now depleted by the 3rd week of the month where there is no food left in the house and no money to purchase more. 31% of household in Rhode Island are in this situation

For all households in Rhode Island, food insecurity is three times what it was before the pandemic.

With unemployment below four percent, the problem is that for many workers, their wages cant keep up with the high cost of living, said CEO Schiff.

And as bad as these numbers are, the rate of food insecurity is even higher among households of color above 40%. The pandemic worsened and deepened longstanding racial and ethnic disparities in income, wealth and economic opportunity, said CEO Schiff.

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank has released their 2022 Status Report on Hunger and sadly, food insecurity rates in Rhode Island are worse than they were at the height of the pandemic. In short, food is unaffordable for thousands of Rhode Islanders, and in particular, children are suffering. Demand for food assistance has increased dramatically, even as state leaders claim the economy is improving:

Major findings in the report include:

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank made the following recommendations:

Helping To Put Food On The Table For  struggling Families All Summer Long

During the summer, those children who rely on their school for food during the year are often left hungry during the summer. This is why PGE Credit Union is, once again, having a fundraiser during the month of August to help out the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and those in need. Instead of a food donation, we are asking our members to make a cash donation.

For every dollar donated, the food bank is able to purchase $3.00 worth of food, which goes a long way towards helping those in need. To show our commitment, we will match up to the first $1,000 donated between now and the end of August.

One way you can donate is by coming into our office and making your donation in person. Another way is to fill out the form to the right and we will withdraw your donation right from your account, once we have confirmed your identity. Of course, you can always call us at .

Any donation is welcomelarge or small.

Thank you, in advance, for your donation!

Kenneth Poyton, President / CEO

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School Pantries & Programs

The Food Bank currently supports a number of food pantries and backpack programs located throughout the state at local schools. The sites provide healthy, nutritious food and snacks that students can eat at school or at home. School-based pantries are located on the grounds of the school to provide an easily accessible source of food assistance to low-income students and their families.

Tiverton Pantry To Benefit From $100k Grant To Rhode Island Community Food Bank

TIVERTON, R.I. The new year just got a lot brighter for people who rely on local food pantries to make ends meet thanks to a $100,000 grant from the Rhode Island Foundation.

Sparked by a recent report about rapidly rising food prices, the Foundation made the special donation to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and challenged Rhode Islanders to pitch in during this time of extraordinary need.

The Food Bank will use the grant to make another 300,000 pounds of food — enough to provide an additional 370,000 meals available to food pantries like the East Bay Community Action Programs Tiverton Pantry.

The grant will enable the Food Bank to purchase staples such as baked beans, rice, tomato soup, fresh produce and canned carrots, corn and peas. The organization will work with local soup kitchens, senior centers and food pantries to get the food into the hands of hungry residents.

The announcement comes as proposed federal cuts to safety net programs threaten to overwhelm the states food pantries, which are already near capacity. According to the Food Banks 2018 Report on Hunger, food prices have grown three times faster than wages since 2015.

The Food Bank distributes food to 53,000 struggling Rhode Islanders each month through a statewide network of 158 member agencies including food pantries, meal sites, shelters, youth programs and senior centers.

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Food Bank Says More Rhode Island Families Cant Afford Food

PROVIDENCE, R.I. There are more households in Rhode Island that cannot afford adequate food now than before the pandemic, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank said Monday.

The food bank released its annual report on hunger to coincide with Thanksgiving week.

The food bank report said that food insecurity is now three times more prevalent than before the pandemic, with 31% of Rhode Island households surveyed earlier this year responding that they were unable to afford adequate food, up from 18.4% in 2021, 25.2% in 2020 and 9.1% from 2017 to 2019.

Food bank CEO Andrew Schiff said that while Rhode Islands unemployment rate is low and people are working, the problem is that many workers wages cant keep up with the impacts of inflation and the high cost of living.

Food prices in Rhode Island increased 13% over the past year and families are facing higher heating oil bills this winter, Schiff said. The risk of hunger is highest for low-income families with children and in communities of color, he added.

The food bank also said that demand for food assistance is increasing as critical pandemic relief programs and emergency benefits end. Food pantries that are part of the food banks statewide network are now serving about 63,000 residents monthly, which is about 10,000 more people each month than in 2021.

Rhode Island Community Food Bank

Location

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank collects and distributes food to over two hundred and fifty hunger-relief agencies and programs throughout Rhode Island.

Their direct service programs include the Neighborhood Pantry Express, a mobile food pantry providing additional resources in high-need areas, and a Kids Cafe, which serves evening meals to children at risk of hunger.

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Ri Community Food Bank

We have had great help from the dance community in collecting non-perishable food items for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank!

Around Thanksgiving, we typically hold a dance where we dance all night and run a food-drive at the same time. Check our calendar in November for the next one!

RI Community Food Bank Donations

Below you will find the RI Food Banks 30th Anniversary video which explains how they serve our state.

Latest Studio News

Kids Cafe Afterschool Meals

The Food Banks Kids Cafe program serves healthy evening meals to children at risk of hunger and provides nutrition education as part of their after-school activities. Meals are prepared daily and delivered to our partner sites at the Pawtucket YMCA, Boys & Girls Club of East Providence, the Segue Institute for Learning in Central Falls, and the Boys & Girls Club of Pawtucket.

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How Is My Gift Used

Your gift allows us to provide quality food to the states hungry. We rely on support from individuals, corporations, foundations and fundraisers to carry out our mission.

Approximately 88% of our funding is used to distribute nutritious food to our network of member agency programs and to run programs like Healthy Habits and Kids Cafe.

Does The Food Bank Accept Corporate Matching Gifts

Yes, please use the search tool below to see if your company will match your gift to the Food Bank. If your company has a matching gift program, this search function will link you directly to your employee portal so you can access the forms, guidelines, and instructions you need to initiate a matching gift request. Some employers even match contributions of volunteer time and retiree donations as well!

If you cannot find information about your company using the search box above, please contact your human resources department to see if they have a matching gift program.

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Rhode Island Free Food Pantries Soup Kitchens And Food Banks

Get information on food banks, distribution centers, and free emergency food pantries in Rhode Island. Most of the organizations that run the locations are non-profits. The staff that work there and the charities are all dedicated to helping the needy and preventing hunger by offering free or reduced cost groceries, food, and other support. Many sites near you also serve free hot meals.

The food banks in Rhode Island, which are listed below, can usually provide perishable items, breads, vegetables, frozen items, and some even have other forms of non-financial aid, such as clothing. The exact types of programs and services offered will vary by location, so you will need to call to get the details on what is offered. The hours of the locations near you also vary, so it is recommend to call for the latest information.

Families who need help can also contact other agencies and government programs in their county. The volunteers and staff that work at the free food pantries can often be a source of referrals to them. These other resources may be able to provide both free food and other financial assistance to the low income, so be sure to inquire about other services. There is also a phone number at the bottom of the page for information on other food pantries and soup kitchens in Rhode Island near you.