FIND (Food in Need of Distribution) Food Bank was incorporated in 1983 as a non profit with a Federal Employee Number of 33-0006007. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. FIND is one of 206 food banks across the United States affiliated with Feeding America (formerly America’s Second Harvest).
FIND provides food for over 90 other non-profit agencies in the Coachella Valley. These agencies range from emergency food pantries to soup kitchens to senior centers to shelters for the homeless to shelters for abused women. Many of these agencies are well known in the area and include the Salvation Army, Boy’s and Girl’s Clubs, Martha’s Village & Kitchen, Shelter from the Storm, Coachella Valley Rescue Mission, Catholic Charities, USO, Well in the Desert and many faith based organizations. These agencies get their food from FIND and in turn prepare meals, provide food and snacks for after school programs, emergency food boxes and take food to those who are shut-ins.
FIND has an operating budget of $1.3 million and has 15 employees. This budget enables us to have five trucks on the road everyday picking up food from the local grocery stores, growers and packing houses. Food also comes through the United States Department of Agriculture, Feeding America and corporate donors like Quaker, Kraft, and other food manufacturers.
FIND will distribute over Six (8) million pounds of food this calendar year. Over two (2) million pounds of that comes from the local grocery stores. The cost for FIND to provide a meal is 14.3 cents. For every one dollar FIND is able to provide 7 meals which results in 10.21 pounds of food.
FIND is serving an average 80,000 individuals a month through its 90+ agencies. Of this 80,000 about 46% are children. The percentage of growth from 2008 to 2010 is over 22%. From 2006 to 2008 the percentage increase is over 50%.
Volunteers are a very important to FIND. This year volunteers will provide over 15,000 man hours of work or the equivalent of more than 7 full time staff.
