The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama

What The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama does

The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) food bank founded in 1982 and headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama (with operations moving to a new facility at 4336 Turin Drive, Bessemer, AL on June 30, 2026). It serves as the central wholesale food distribution hub for 12 counties in central Alabama, sourcing food from USDA programs, retail food recovery (over 100 grocery store partners), industry purchases, and community donations via a refrigerated truck fleet. Food is redistributed to a network of more than 300 partner agencies (food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, children's programs, veterans' programs) that distribute directly to neighbors at no charge, supplemented by the food bank's own Mobile Pantry distributions, child-hunger programs (Sunny Bites, Kids Café, Family Markets, In-School Pantries), senior programs (CSFP, Senior Mobile Pantries, Client-Choice Pantry, Home Delivery via Amazon Community Delivery), a Benefits Enrollment Center for SNAP and other supports, and disaster response.

The organization is funded through individual donations (including the Meal Makers recurring club and Tomorrow's Harvest planned giving), corporate matching gifts, a multi-year Building Hope capital campaign ($31,250,000 in pledges secured), corporate cause-marketing partnerships (Coca-Cola, The Cheesecake Factory, IHOP coffee suppliers, Raindrop Car Wash, Kroger Community Rewards), grants from donor-advised funds (Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, BNY Mellon, Morgan Stanley, National Philanthropic Trust), and USDA federal programs. The technology stack is conventional nonprofit SaaS — VolunteerHub for volunteer scheduling, Square for merchandise e-commerce, Paylocity for HR, Double the Donation for matching-gift search, Constant Contact for email, and an interactive Find Food Map for distribution discovery.

In 2024 the food bank distributed 24.6 million pounds of food and 24.1 million pounds in 2025 (over 20 million meals), serving more than 145,000 people per month across approximately 80,000 unique individuals annually; the service area contains an estimated 246,000 food-insecure neighbors (1 in 6 people, 1 in 5 children), and the regional Meal Gap remains approximately 46.8 million meals needed annually against the ~20 million currently distributed. Governed by an independent Board of Directors and led by CEO Nicole Williams, the organization reports seven directors covering Finance, Partner Engagement, Community Engagement, Development, Operations, and HR, with >9,200 volunteers supplying operational labor in the most recent year.

Name

The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama

Legal name

Community Food Bank of Central Alabama

Website

https://feedingal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama is a 501(c)(3) food bank founded in 1982 that serves as the central wholesale food distribution hub for 12 counties in central Alabama, redistributing USDA, retail-recovered, and donated food through 300+ partner agencies and its own Mobile Pantry, child, senior, and disaster-response programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Banking / Hunger Relief Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD), Emergency Food Security & Nutrition in Humanitarian Crises (BPADAJAI)

Keywords

• Food bank services
• Hunger relief programs
• Food distribution network
• Community nutrition assistance
• Food insecurity solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The primary revenue stream. Individual donors contribute online, by phone, or by mail. Recurring giving is encouraged via the Meal Makers club. Every $1 donated provides 4 meals.
2. Corporate Matching Gifts: Companies match employee donations dollar-for-dollar. Some companies also match volunteer hours with financial grants. Through matching, $1 can provide up to 8 meals.
3. Capital Campaign (Building Hope): Multi-year capital campaign to fund a new facility. $31,250,000 has been secured in pledges toward this campaign.
4. Corporate Cause Marketing: Third-party campaigns where companies donate per unit sold or per service rendered to the food bank (e.g., Raindrop Car Wash $1 per car on Wednesdays, Coca-Cola $2 per 6pk, The Cheesecake Factory per Peach Perfect slice sold, IHOP $0.01 per pound of coffee sold, Kroger Community Rewards).
5. Donor-Advised Fund Grants: Grants received from donor-advised funds at Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, BNY Mellon, Morgan Stanley, and National Philanthropic Trust. Donors recommend grants to the food bank via these platforms using EIN 63-0837956.
6. Planned Giving / Legacy Gifts: Tomorrow's Harvest Planned Giving Society accepts bequests in wills, beneficiary designations on life insurance policies, and retirement asset gifts. These provide long-term sustainable support.
7. USDA Federal Food Programs: The food bank participates in USDA programs including the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) for seniors and Summer Meals (SUN) for children, sourcing food from USDA and operating child hunger programs in partnership with the USDA.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama operates as a regional food distribution hub, sourcing food from industry, USDA, and retail food recovery, and redistributing it through a network of more than 300 partner agencies (food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, children's and veterans' programs) and its own Mobile Pantry distributions across 12 counties in central Alabama. The organization also runs targeted direct-service programs addressing child hunger (Summer Meals, Sunny Bites, Kids Cafe, Family Markets, In-School Pantries), senior nutrition (CSFP, Senior Mobile Pantries, Senior Client-Choice Pantry, Senior Home Delivery), and benefits enrollment, supported by a Food Recovery fleet and disaster response capability.

Product overview

The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama operates a multi-faceted food banking platform consisting of direct food distribution programs (Mobile Pantries and Client-Choice Pantries), an Agency Partner Network of over 230 distribution partners across 12 counties, child hunger programs (Sunny Bites summer meals, Kids Cafe, Family Markets, In-School Pantries), senior meal programs (CSFP, Senior Mobile Pantries, Senior Client-Choice Pantries, Senior Home Delivery), the Benefits Enrollment Center for SNAP and benefit assistance, food recovery operations, and disaster response services. The organization supports donors through Meal Makers recurring giving, Tomorrow's Harvest planned giving, matching gift programs, and the annual Feast for Hope Gala fundraising event. A capital campaign (Building Hope) is underway for a new facility expansion. The portfolio works as an integrated system: food is sourced from retail recovery and purchases, then distributed through agency partners and direct mobile distributions to serve populations falling through gaps in federal nutrition programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Meal Makers: Recurring giving club for donors who want to provide consistent support to feed families facing hunger. Members receive recognition, 10% discount on merchandise, and annual statements for tax purposes.
• Tomorrow's Harvest
• Sunny Bites
• Kids Café
• Building Hope
• Feast for Hope Gala

Products and services

• Mobile Pantries Drive-thru grocery distributions operated by the food bank in areas with geographic or demographic gaps in the partner network; provide free fresh produce, dry goods, meat, and dairy to neighbors in need while supplies last.
• Client-Choice Pantry Distributions Partner pantry distributions that allow clients to choose foods that best meet their cultural and nutritional needs.
• Agency Partner Network Wholesale food supply and support for more than 300 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, church pantries, children's programs, and veterans' programs across 12 central Alabama counties.
• Sunny Bites Summer Meals Free summer meals and groceries for children ages 18 and under during June and July when school meals are unavailable, including family meal boxes, snack packs, fresh produce, and frozen protein at designated distribution sites.
• Kids Cafe Summer Meals Healthy lunches and snacks for children throughout the summer, provided in partnership with USDA, ALSDE, local YMCA, schools, churches, and community organizations.
• Family Markets Drive-thru grocery distributions providing food access to households with children, operated in partnership with public schools and community organizations.
• In-School Pantries On-campus food distribution services providing nutritious foods and essentials to students and families through school-based locations.
• Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) USDA food package program that supplements the diets of low-income individuals at least 60 years old with nutritious foods.
• Senior Grocery Mobile Pantries Drive-thru grocery distributions specifically serving households with seniors.
• Senior Client-Choice Pantry Food distribution allowing seniors to choose foods that best meet their cultural and nutritional needs.
• Senior Grocery Home Delivery Food box delivery service to seniors' doorsteps operated in collaboration with Amazon Community Delivery.
• Benefits Enrollment Center (BEC) / SNAP Assistance Helps eligible low-income adults, seniors, and individuals with disabilities find and enroll in benefit programs including SNAP, Medicare savings programs, and energy assistance across Alabama and Mississippi.
• Food Recovery Program Fleet of refrigerated trucks picking up donated food from more than 100 retail partners five days per week to redistribute produce, proteins, and dry goods; saved over 13.4 million pounds of food in 2025.
• Disaster Response Emergency food and water assistance during crises such as tornadoes or floods, including establishment of temporary emergency food pantries and large-scale food distributions in affected communities.
• Meal Makers Recurring Giving Club Recurring monthly giving program providing consistent support to keep partner agencies stocked; members receive recognition, merchandise discounts, and annual tax statements.
• Tomorrow's Harvest Planned Giving Society Planned giving program allowing donors to create a legacy of hope through bequests, life insurance beneficiary designations, or retirement asset gifts.
• Matching Gift Program Employee matching gift program where employers match charitable donations by employees, with some companies also matching volunteer hours with financial grants; up to 8 meals per $1 through matching.
• Feast for Hope Gala Annual flagship fundraising event convening community stakeholders, sponsors, and donors to raise funds for the food bank's food assistance programs.
• Building Hope Capital Campaign Multi-year capital campaign to fund construction of a new facility at 4336 Turin Drive in Bessemer, AL; $31,250,000 in pledges secured toward the expansion goal to increase food distribution capacity.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24.6 million pounds of food distributed in 2024 (20+ million meals)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered secondary and core.

• Coca-ColasecondaryGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 June 2026Spring 2026 initiative: Coca-Cola donates $2.00 for each 6pk Coca-Cola Original Taste Glass Bottle purchased at Dollar General or DollarGeneral.com (June 15–August 16).
• Dollar GeneralsecondaryGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 June 2026Host location for Coca-Cola Spring 2026 cause marketing campaign where purchases of Coca-Cola products generate donations to Feeding America and the Community Food Bank.
• IHOP (Royal Cup Coffee & Tea and Westrock Coffee Company)secondaryGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 March 2026IHOP's two coffee suppliers donate $0.01 per pound of coffee sold to IHOP from March 30 to December 31, 2026, benefiting Feeding America and the Community Food Bank.
• The Cheesecake FactorysecondaryGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 July 2025For every slice of Peach Perfect sold (July 20, 2025 – July 29, 2026), The Cheesecake Factory donates to Feeding America and the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama.
• Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Community Food Bank is a member of the Feeding America network, providing access to national research (Map the Meal Gap), shared resources, advocacy platforms, and brand credibility.
• USDAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners on the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) for seniors and Summer Meals (SUN) for children. Food is sourced from USDA and the food bank operates USDA-compliant meal programs.
• ALSDE (Alabama State Department of Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to operate Summer Meals programs in schools and community sites during the summer when school meals are unavailable. Assists with meal site identification and compliance.
• Amazon Community DeliverysecondaryImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborates with Amazon Community Delivery to distribute food boxes directly to neighbors' doorsteps through the Senior Grocery Home Delivery program.
• United Way of Central AlabamacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way was a founding partner in 1982 alongside the Greater Birmingham Foundation. The food bank also refers individuals to United Way's 211 service for comprehensive social service referrals.
• Fidelity CharitablesecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDonor-Advised Fund platform through which donors direct grants to the Community Food Bank using EIN 63-0837956.
• Schwab CharitablesecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDonor-Advised Fund platform through which donors direct grants to the Community Food Bank.
• Vanguard CharitablesecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDonor-Advised Fund platform through which donors direct grants to the Community Food Bank.
• BNY MellonsecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDonor-Advised Fund platform through which donors direct grants to the Community Food Bank.
• Morgan StanleysecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDonor-Advised Fund platform through which donors direct grants to the Community Food Bank.
• National Philanthropic TrustsecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDonor-Advised Fund platform through which donors direct grants to the Community Food Bank.
• Double the DonationsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationProvides the matching gift search tool embedded on the food bank's donation page, enabling donors to check if their employer matches charitable contributions.
• Raindrop Car WashsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerWash Away Hunger Wednesdays: $1 donated per car washed through June 2026, supporting the food bank.
• KrogersecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerKroger Community Rewards: shoppers link their Kroger loyalty card to the Community Food Bank (org #AT733) and earn donations for the food bank with each purchase.
• Les Dames d'Escoffier International (Birmingham Chapter)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the annual Feast for Hope Gala, curating a five-course meal with wine pairings. This is the 5th consecutive year of partnership.
• YMCA (local branches)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal YMCA branches serve as Summer Meals program sites for children during the summer when school is not in session.
• Grocery Store / Retail Partners (100+)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 100 grocery stores donate surplus food which the food bank collects via its refrigerated fleet and redistributes. Also enables the food bank to purchase food at favorable pricing.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Feeding the Gulf Coast: A fellow Feeding America member food bank serving coastal Alabama and Mississippi; directly comparable as a regional food bank operating Mobile Pantries, USDA programs, and Benefits Enrollment Center in adjacent geographies to Central Alabama.
• Food Bank of North Alabama: Regional Feeding America food bank serving northern Alabama counties — a direct peer with the same hub-and-spoke agency model, USDA program participation, and Mobile Pantry distribution approach.
• Atlanta Community Food Bank: Major Feeding America regional food bank serving metro Atlanta and north Georgia — comparable in scale and program mix (agency partner network, child nutrition, senior programs, food recovery) and one of the larger operational benchmarks in the Southeast.
• Mid-South Food Bank: Feeding America member food bank serving the Memphis/Mid-South region — directly comparable regional food bank with agency partner network, child hunger programs, and senior nutrition services.
• East Alabama Food Bank: Regional food bank serving East Alabama with a similar agency partner distribution model, USDA program participation, and Mobile Pantry operations — directly comparable in mission and operating model.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee: Feeding America member food bank serving 18 counties in East Tennessee — comparable in scale, agency network model, and portfolio of child, senior, and emergency feeding programs.
• Gleaners Community Food Bank: Regional Feeding America food bank serving southeast Michigan — comparable in scale (~24M+ lbs distributed annually), agency partner network structure, and food recovery operations.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: The national network and brand under which the Community Food Bank operates — provides shared research (Map the Meal Gap), advocacy, and corporate partnership infrastructure; comparable as the umbrella organization whose network model CFB executes regionally.
• Meals on Wheels America: National nonprofit network focused on senior nutrition and home-delivered meals — partially comparable because CFB's Senior Home Delivery program (via Amazon Community Delivery) intersects with Meals on Wheels' senior meal delivery mission.

Emerging players

• No Kid Hungry (Share Our Strength): National anti-hunger campaign focused on childhood hunger and school meal programs — overlapping with CFB's Sunny Bites, Kids Café, and In-School Pantries programs as a comparable childhood-nutrition mission, though operating primarily as a campaign/advocacy organization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/feedingAL
• Facebookfacebook.com/feedingAL
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/10683534
• Instagraminstagram.com/feedingal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama