Food Bank

Food banks have secured and distributed billions of meals each year in the United States. Food insecurity and hunger are experienced by millions across the country. Food insecurity “describes a household’s inability to provide enough food for every person to live an active, healthy life.” A leading resource in combating food insecurity in the United States is Feeding America. The Rhode Island Community Food Bank is a member of Feeding America’s network of food banks found across the United States.

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank has been helping Rhode Islanders combat food insecurity since 1982 with its network of partnered food banks and pantries. According to the Rhode Island Food Bank, 68,000 Rhode Islanders receive food assistance.

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank has a variety of programs that offer help in a variety of ways to those living locally with food insecurity. The Rhode Island Community Food Bank, located on Niantic Ave in Providence, is a distribution hub for a local network of food pantries and meal sites that can be found in local communities. If you know someone that could use help with food assistance visit their page on food assistance to find a local pantry or meal site and other ways to get help. 

Members of the Roger Williams University Law School staff and faculty as well as student organizations have spent time volunteering at the Rhode Island Community Food bank or organizing food donation drives to assist the Rhode Island Community Food Bank or a local pantry member of their network. The past year has seen a rise in the number of people getting assistance from food banks. If you are in a position to help, are interested in volunteering, or interested in finding out how you can be involved in combating food insecurity more information can be found on the Rhode Island Community Food Bank’s “Get Involved” page.