Thirty-three years ago today, the Capital Area Food Bank was founded through the efforts of the Interfaith Conference and the United Planning Organization as a temporary hunger relief organization. As a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the founding date selected by the CAFB organizers was his birthday, January 15.
Even though the food bank’s mission was to bring temporary relief to the hungry, the need continues to grow. Today the CAFB reaches nearly 500,000 men, women and children in the Washington metro area each year who are at risk of hunger.
In the early days, the food bank was a small operation providing 1,537 pounds of food per month to a few thousand people. Today, the CAFB has 130 employees and distributes 33 million pounds of food a year – half of which is fresh produce – through 700 non-profit partner agencies located in Washington, DC; Northern Virginia; and Prince George’s and Montgomery counties in Maryland.
Due to the uncertain economy and the increasing numbers of those suffering from inadequate nutrition, the Capital Area Food Bank embarked on a capital campaign five years ago and moved into its new headquarters at 4900 Puerto Rico Avenue, NE in late July. Over time, the new food distribution center will enable the CAFB to more than double its storage and food distribution capacity to meet the growing need.
Through the years, the CAFB’s mission has remained constant—to serve others ’til no one is hungry. Help us reach that goal by honoring Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy by committing to the National Day of Service and volunteering with the Capital Area Food Bank.