CAPK Food Bank

The CAPK Food Bank was established in 1982 to provide food and other resources to economically disadvantaged members of our community. CAPK Food Bank’s work has expanded as the need to feed Kern County grows rapidly. The CAPK Food Bank is a partner distribution organization (PDO) of the Feeding American Network, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. The Feeding America Network consists of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries. Since its creation, the CAPK Food Bank has established local partnerships with vital food industry donors, as well as an extensive network of more than 150 pantry and commodity sites. The CAPK Food Bank supports a wide network of neighborhood schools, churches, social service agencies, community centers, and other charities in the neighborhoods where Kern County’s hungry and vulnerable residents live and work.

A food bank volunteer stands in front of non-perishable dry goods in the original warehouse.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FOOD BANK AND A FOOD PANTRY?

A food bank is the entity that collects and distributes food to hunger-relief charities and agencies. Food banks store millions of pounds of food and other items in their warehouses. The food pantry arrives at the food bank to receive its food distributions and then acts as the arms into the community— putting the food into people’s hands. Food pantries rely on food banks to source, collect, and store fresh foods for their clients.