FILLING TABLES A Member of Feeding America Improving lives 2014 ANNUAL REPORT Within these pages you’ll find examples of the North Texas Food Bank mission in action. Our passion for ending hunger can only be fulfilled with your support, and we’re so thankful that you partnered with us to make some 62 million meals available for hungry children, seniors, and working families in Fiscal Year 2014. A MESSAGE FROM OUR BOARD CHAIR It’s all thanks to you. Friends, As we close the books on the final year of the ReThink Hunger campaign, the North Texas Food Bank board is celebrating many wonderful accomplishments — most importantly, providing access to some 62 million nutritious meals for hungry North Texans. Through your financial support, volunteer efforts and advocacy, we achieved this important milestone. Thank you! Each day, the team at NTFB provides access to 170,000 meals for hungry children, seniors and families through a network of more than 1,000 programs and 262 Partner Agencies. While this figure is significant, we know that more work needs to be done, as 250,000 meals are needed daily to feed our hungry neighbors. Each year our supporters rise to the challenge and help us provide food for more than 439,000 food-insecure individuals who reside in our 13-county service area. This year was no different. As you flip through the pages of this annual report, you will read about the programs that NTFB has established to provide food and hope to our community, and you will also see the individuals, corporations, organizations and faith communities that brought food, funds and other support to our mission. Every can or dollar donated brings us one step closer to closing the hunger gap in our community. Thank you for your support of the North Texas Food Bank. Your donations are helping NTFB fulfill our important mission! With gratitude, Tom Black Chairman of the Board 3 The North Texas Food Bank 2014 Annual Report A MESSAGE TO YOU FROM... We are the solution. OUR PRESIDENT & CEO Friends, Providing nourishment to food-insecure children, seniors and families is the heart of the North Texas Food Bank mission. We work hard to fill tables and improve lives every day, but unfortunately, the need for our services has not diminished. Hunger is a global issue, a national issue and a local issue. As the board chair for Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, I am confronted daily with the reality that hunger can reach Americans from all walks of life. Your support of our mission is invaluable, and we are incredibly grateful for your donations of food, funds and advocacy as we work to provide nutritious food to our hungry neighbors in our 13-county service area. In Fiscal Year 14, we placed an even greater focus on providing nutritious food. Here’s why: Research tells us that food insecurity and poor health are related. According to Hunger in America 2014, a study by Feeding America and the North Texas Food Bank, six in ten households we serve in North Texas combat high blood pressure, while one out of three report a family member who has diabetes. Imagine facing chronic health issues, and being unable to put food on the table - or making difficult choices when faced with mounting medical bills. That is the reality for many of our clients. As we close out the ReThink Hunger Campaign, we are proud to say that we worked smarter and harder to provide clients with healthful food choices –including an abundance of fresh produce. Now we are embarking on a strategic vision that will carry us through the next ten years. Our vision is to eliminate the hunger gap that exists for 1 in 6 North Texans. It may seem daunting but with supporters like YOU, we can achieve this goal. Together, I know we can end hunger in our community. Thank you for believing in our work and being a part of the NTFB family. Jan Pruitt NTFB President and CEO 4 The North Texas Food Bank 2014 Annual Report WHO WE ARE MISSION, VALUES, Our Mission AND EFFECTIVENESS The North Texas Food Bank passionately pursues a hunger-free community. Our Five Core Values 1. Do what needs to be done. 2. Do what is right with urgency. 3. Steward and leverage resources with integrity in an authentic, transparent way. 4. Respect diversity of individuals, thoughts and viewpoints. 5. Celebrate passion for our world and the people who live in it. Our Impact In Fiscal Year 2014, we provided access to some 62 million nutritious meals in our 13-county service area. Our Effectiveness Every dollar donated to the North Texas Food Bank provides three meals to hungry North Texans. Out of every dollar, 94 cents goes directly to hunger-relief programs and only six cents is used for administrative and fundraising costs. 5 The North Texas Food Bank 2014 Annual Report RETHINK HUNGER: As we move beyond the ReThink Hunger campaign, we’re reminded of both our successes and our challenges in our final year of the campaign. We continued our strong focus on nutrition, increased our knowledge about the issue of YEAR THREE hunger, and strengthened our community partnerships. FISCAL YEAR 14 FISCAL YEAR 14 GOAL ACTUAL Nutritious Meals Provided 64.6 million 61.8 million Pounds of Fresh Produce Sourced 15 million 14.8 million Pounds of Retail Donations Picked Up 8 million 12.1 million 6 The North Texas Food Bank 2014 Annual Report Food & Funds MORE THAN A DISTRIBUTION CENTER: Are Donated HOW NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK WORKS The North Texas Food Bank relies on local and regional supporters – individuals, faith groups, foundations, corporations, organizations and retailers – to donate food and funds. National supporters like Feeding America and their corporate partners, and the US Department of Agriculture also provide food and funds, and we also purchase healthy food to supplement our donations. Product is Sorted and Packed Hundreds of NTFB volunteers sort and pack thousands of pounds of food each week for distribution to our Partner Agencies. Families & Individuals Have Access to Food Families, children and seniors across our 13-county service area have access to the nutritious meals and groceries they need by visiting one of our 262 Partner Agencies or through $ one of our direct-service programs. $ $$ 7 The North Texas Food Bank 2014 Annual Report 1% WHERE OUR FUNDING COMES FROM Individual Donors 34% Individual Donors 11% Corporations 21% Corporations 15% 34% Foundations 18% Foundations Government Grants and Fees 15% Government Grants and Fees Agency Handling Fees 11% Agency Handling Fees 18% NTFB BY THE NUMBERS Organizations 1% Organizations 21% Last year, the North Texas Food Bank provided access 100% to nearly 62 million meals. 4% 2% HOW WE USE OUR RESOURCES Food Bank Operations 94% Food Bank Operations Fundraising 4% Fundraising Management and General 2% Management and General 100% 94% WHERE OUR FOOD COMES FROM 24% Donated 57% Donated Purchased 24% Purchased 57% Government Hunger 19% 19% Government Hunger Relief Programs Relief Programs 100% 8 The North Texas Food Bank 2014 Annual Report 6% 4% WHERE OUR FOOD GOES 6% NTFB BY THE NUMBERS Partner Agencies 84% Partner Agencies ...continued Senior Programs 6% Senior Programs Children’s Programs 4% Children’s Programs Other Food Banks 6% Other Food Banks 100% 84% TOTAL DISTRIBUTION BY FOOD TYPE Shelf Stable and Other Core Items 48% Shelf Stable and Other Core Items 19% Fresh Produce Fresh Produce 33% 48% Protein 19% Protein 100% 33% 9 The North Texas Food Bank 2014 Annual Report RETHINK HUNGER GOALS: In the final year of ReThink Hunger, we distributed more fresh produce than in years prior, offering HEALTHIER our clients access to more nutrient-rich foods. The North Texas Food Bank sources fresh fruits and YEAR THREE PROGRESS vegetables from local and national growers and rescues unsold produce from more than 170 grocery stores and retailers. One in three pounds distributed was a fresh fruit or vegetable. 10 The North Texas Food Bank 2014 Annual Report RETHINK HUNGER GOALS: SMARTER YEAR THREE PROGRESS In 2011, we established The Hunger Center of North Texas to build knowledge to fight hunger. In Fiscal Year 2014, through our own research and partnerships with local universities, we continued supporting the development of more effective nutrition assistance programs and policies that will guide our vision and be a catalyst for public conversation on hunger. Research Year Three Research at The Hunger Center, funded by the George & Fay Young Foundation and the Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation, included studies by the University of North Texas and Southern Methodist University. In our partnership with UNT’s Anthropology Department, we learned that high-quality food pantry service is not equally accessible throughout North Texas. This disparity poses special challenges for households with serious health issues – especially diet-related conditions – and disabilities. Many people simply are unable to manage their conditions effectively. Preliminary findings from our partnership with SMU’s Economics Department suggest that nearly 1 in 2 individuals served at local food pantries do not have a bank account and many carry high debt levels. Medical expenses are the most common source of debt. Nearly 2 out of 3 could not cover more than one month of basic expenses if they lost their main source of income; more than 1 in 3 couldn’t cover even one week of expenses. 11 The North Texas Food Bank 2014 Annual Report RETHINK HUNGER GOALS: STRONGER Our 262 Partner Agencies across North Texas are among our strongest, most passionate allies in YEAR THREE PROGRESS the fight against hunger.