In 2019, The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) started a program designed to accelerate the development of newer food banks in regions where food insecurity is especially acute.
That year, food banks in the program distributed a combined 2.3 million kilograms of food and grocery products to nearly 1.1 million people. Only five years later, in 2024, that same group of food banks connected 33 million kilograms of food to more than 12 million people.
Such incredible strides in such a short time are only possible through the hard work, creativity and dedication of the food bankers participating in the Food Bank Accelerator Program. The first cohort of Accelerator food banks established in 2019 consisted of six African food banks and seven Asian food banks. Those food banks moved on from the program in 2024 but still continue to demonstrate sustainable growth — on average, these food banks increased their food distribution by 30% from 2023 to 2024.
The Accelerator added a second cohort in 2024, with three Asian food banks in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines and African food banks in Cote D’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Madagascar and Mauritius.
In many cases, it can take new food banks 10 or 15 years to reach maturity. GFN’s Accelerator serves as a multiplier of their ingenuity, providing context-specific technical support, mentoring, peer-to-peer connections and partnership opportunities that might otherwise be unavailable to young food banks. Since program participants are typically located in places where the food banking model is fairly new and unknown, these services are especially valuable and can also help food banks establish credibility.
“The objective of the Accelerator is to support rapid growth while simultaneously building solid foundations that will enable these food banks to be sustainable and serve their communities for the long term,” said Anthony Kitchen, GFN field & knowledge services senior director.
In 2024, the five African food banks in the second Accelerator cohort increased distribution 73% and served an additional 60,000 people. Much of this growth was driven by Banque Alimentaire de Côte d’Ivoire, which nearly doubled its distribution and nearly tripled the number of people served over the last year. The food bank achieved such growth by strengthening partnerships with local retailers for food recovery, launching an agricultural recovery program and activating the community to donate 22,000 kilograms of food as a part of its annual food drive.
The food bank is a critical source of support for people in vulnerable circumstances in Abidjan. They deliver food to organizations supporting single mothers, schoolchildren, people with disabilities, migrants facing homelessness and abandoned children.
In Asia Pacific, the three Accelerator food banks increased distribution by 13% on average and reached nearly 30,000 more people in 2024.
The Lost Food Project Malaysia increased distribution by 200,000 kilograms and served an additional 50,000 people in 2024. TLFP has long been a staple at the largest produce market in Kuala Lumpur, recovering thousands of kilograms of food per day. This makes TLFP one of the network’s most nutritious food banks, with 90% of all food distributed being nutritious. On the back of this stable foundation, TLFP hired specialized staff in 2024 to enhance food sourcing, partnerships and fundraising.
To reach people facing hunger, food banks must grow, innovate and adapt. The Accelerator is a tested and effective way to strengthen and scale food banking operations in community facing food insecurity.
As the Accelerator program enters its seventh year, our goal is to reach 1.2 million new people per year with nutritious food by 2028 for the second cohort.
Your support can help newer food banks reach their full potential faster as we move toward our vision of nourishing people and the planet together.
To explore ways that you or your business can partner with GFN and food banks, please contact us at development@foodbanking.org.
