Rotary - GFN Fact Sheet

The service partnership between The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) and Rotary International (RI) provides a way to collaborate by combining resources to combat the issues of hunger and food insecurity through food banking. Food banks acquire donated food and grocery products (much of which would be otherwise wasted), and make it available through a network of community agencies including school feeding programs, food pantries, soup kitchens, AIDS and TB hospices, elderly care facilities, orphanages, and NGOs that provide food to the hungry.

What is The Global FoodBanking Network?

The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) is an international organization whose mission is to alleviate world hunger by collaborating to develop food banks in communities where they are needed around the world and by supporting food banks where they exist. GFN currently supports food bank development and operations in 22 countries, home to over one-third of the world’s nearly one billion undernourished people. GFN works to create efficient and sustainable organizations that provide environmentally friendly alternatives to product disposal by utilizing surplus food to feed hungry people, thereby enabling members of the community to be assisted by others in their community.

How can my Rotary club or district get involved?

Clubs or districts can:

Clubs or districts can:

• Volunteer to help at an existing food bank;
•  organize food collection drives;
• sponsor trucks for delivery and distribution of food;
• donate food and grocery products, equipment, and services to a food bank; and
• identify recipients to receive food.
• Assist in creating a food bank where needed by coordinating introductions and support between GFN and Rotary leaders in cities where start-up activities are taking place and aligning food banking systems with local resources, governments, and partners.
• Raise awareness – include community hunger issues in a meeting or conference agenda and brainstorm about ways to get involved.
• Distribute food to hungry children through the BackPack and school feeding programs.
• Participate in the presentations and networking at the Food Bank Leadership Institute, the annual global institute held by GFN to provide training for new and developing foodbank leaders. The institute is a cornerstone program in GFN’s efforts to strengthen and support existing food banks and to promote the development of new food banks to reduce global hunger.

Additional Resources

Communities in Action: A Guide to Effective Projects (605A)
http://www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/605a_en.pdf

Community Assessment Tools (605C)
www.rotary.org/RIdocuments/en_pdf/605c_en.pdf

Knowledge Center
http://www.foodbanking.org/site/PageServer?pagename=resources_knowledge