Midwest Food Bank

What Midwest Food Bank does

Midwest Food Bank is a faith-based nonprofit headquartered in Normal, Illinois. Rather than serving individuals directly, it supplies food to around 2,400 local nonprofits, including pantries, kitchens and shelters, which then get it to families. It has 12 locations: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, three in Illinois, Indiana, New England, Pennsylvania, Texas, East Africa and Haiti. It provides disaster relief as well as hunger relief.

The model runs on volunteer labor. About 37,000 volunteers sort, pack, inventory and prepare every donation, and the organization reports a 99.5% program expense ratio. In the past year it distributed about 139 million pounds of food, which it counts as more than 130 million meals. Its FY2025 IRS filing shows roughly $579 million in revenue, nearly all of it contributions (ProPublica).

The organization says each dollar donated turns into $30–$35 worth of food. Its homepage says $30 and its donate page says $35. Donors can pick which of its locations their gift supports. Charity Navigator gives it four out of four stars.

Key facts

• Distributed 139 million lbs of food, or more than 130 million meals, in the past year (MFB homepage)
• Supplies about 2,400 local nonprofits, kitchens, shelters and pantries (MFB homepage)
• Run largely by volunteers, 37,000 of them; reports a 99.5% program expense ratio (MFB homepage)
• FY2025 revenue of about $579 million, 99.9% from contributions (ProPublica)

Before you give

• The online form lets you choose which location (division) your gift supports.
• Accepts stock, donor-advised fund grants, IRA qualified charitable distributions, estate gifts, monthly giving and mailed checks.
• MFB's site says it holds a Candid Platinum Seal and ECFA accreditation (not independently checked).