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FNEFL Annual Report 2025

Page 1


People facing hunger are at the

center of all we do.

Dear Friends,

As we reflect on 2025, I am filled with both gratitude and resolve.

When Feeding Northeast Florida celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2024, it reminded us how far we have come as an organization and as a community. In many ways, 2025 became the beginning of our next chapter: one defined by growth, resilience, and an even deeper commitment to our neighbors.

This year brought significant challenges for families across Northeast Florida. Rising costs for food, housing, and other essentials continued to place pressure on households already struggling to make ends meet. At the same time, federal funding cuts and disruptions to SNAP benefits created additional uncertainty for many in our community. We were reminded once again that food insecurity can affect anyone and that the need for a strong, compassionate hunger-relief network has never been greater.

Because of you, we were ready to respond.

A

Message from Our President & CEO and Board Chair.

In 2025, Feeding Northeast Florida distributed more than 38 million pounds of food, supported 428 agency partners, delivered 2,080 mobile pantries, and provided relief to families, seniors, children, veterans, and individuals throughout our 12-county service area. More than 14,000 volunteers contributed over 33,000 hours of service, demonstrating the extraordinary generosity that defines our region.

This year also marked an exciting step forward for our organization. Our new facility strengthened our ability to serve neighbors more efficiently, while the addition of the Florida Blue Community Kitchen expands our mission through nutritious prepared meals, food preservation, health-focused partnerships, and community engagement.

At the heart of every number in this report is a neighbor: a parent trying to stretch a paycheck, a senior choosing between groceries and medicine, or a child who deserves the opportunity to thrive without hunger standing in the way.

To our donors, volunteers, agency partners, staff, board members, and community supporters: thank you. Your compassion and commitment continue to create hope throughout Northeast Florida.

As we move forward, Feeding Northeast Florida remains committed to meeting immediate needs while building long-term, community-informed solutions that strengthen lives and communities for years to come.

Gratefully,

Board of Directors

Feeding Northeast Florida has a Board of Directors composed of experts in the fields of health, nutrition, business, and the non-profit sector, guiding the strategic and long-term planning necessary for positioning the organization to end hunger in the region.

BOARD LEADERSHIP

BOARD CHAIR

Dipak Rajhansa I President, Blingle Premier Lighting

VICE CHAIR

Russell Baker I CEO, Wingard

GOVERNANCE CHAIR

Linda Pittenger I Managing Partner, The Pittenger Group

FINANCE CHAIR

Gavin Hayden I Senior Manager, KPMG

SECRETARY

Marla Buchanan, Esq. I CEO, Blue Ocean Title

PRESIDENT & CEO

Susan King I President & CEO, Feeding Northeast Florida

BOARD MEMBERS

Adina Pollan I General Counsel, Transactional, Bankruptcy, and Commercial Litigation, Hakimian Holdings

Poppy Clements I Retired, Community Volunteer

Craig Provenzano I Vice President Enterprise Tax, Guidewell Mutual Holding

Anurag Sharma I Chief Technology Officer, Vystar Credit Union

Ted Rueger I CEO, Eastern Quality Foods

Lisa Sutherland I Interim Dean, Davis College of Business & Technology, Jacksonville University

Jason Miller I Partner, Morgan & Morgan

At Feeding Northeast Florida, we use food as a catalyst to strengthen lives and communities.
Our vision is access to nutritious food for all.

Feeding Northeast Florida rescues and distributes food and household necessities directly to families experiencing food insecurity and to more than 400 anti-hunger organizations. Our work improves access to healthy and culturally preferred food, provides nutrition education and coaching, and builds community engagement efforts that address the root causes of hunger.

Every day we provide more than 101,000 meals within our 12-county service area, but we are also building a diverse network of community partners, farmers, government agencies, volunteers, and corporations who believe in our vision of using nourishment, education, and community engagement to provide access to nutritious food for all.

Emergency Response

2025 brought unprecedented challenges to Feeding Northeast Florida’s mission. While we were prepared for another hurricane season, we were instead hit with $3.5 million in federal funding cuts that gutted critical nutrition programs. Then the government shutdown triggered a pause in SNAP benefits, removing the safety net for 249,000 people across the region, on top of the more than 310,000 food insecure individuals already struggling. Warehouse shelves were already bare when need became unprecedented.

The response was immediate.

In total, Feeding Northeast Florida purchased more than 855,000 pounds of food specifically to address shutdown-related needs. More than 6,700 emergency food boxes reached shutdown-impacted families. The mobilization was possible because of community: donors, volunteers, and partner agencies who stretched their capacity when systems failed.

We are always prepared to respond to any emergency, even during an unusually quiet hurricane season. Our generator is ready to keep our building, refrigerators, and freezers running in the case of a power outage, making sure fresh food still goes out to families who need it most. Because hunger doesn’t wait for disaster to strike. And neither do we.

1/7 1/7 adults don’t know where their next meal is coming from

310,020 310,020 people, including 93,690 children, are facing hunger in Northeast Florida 1/5 children will go to bed hungry

1/5

428 Agency partners

In 2025, neighbors facing hunger gained access to 38,170,481 Pounds of food

2,080 Mobile pantries delivered

70%

Of all food distributed is fresh or frozen produce, dairy or protein

14,032 Volunteers assisted

33,748 Volunteer hours provided

97¢ donated goes toward program support $1 of each

The Florida Blue Community Kitchen

The Florida Blue Community Kitchen creates a space for us to grow our mission of using food as a catalyst to strengthen lives and communities. After breaking ground on the space back in July, it is built on three pillars: nourishment, preservation, and connection.

1.

Nourishment

Our team will create nutritious, ready-to-eat meals that support long-term wellness. With help from our agency partners, these meals will reach neighbors managing health challenges and anyone who simply needs support.

Preservation 2.

By washing, chopping, and freezing fresh food donations, the kitchen will help us make the most of every carrot, pepper, and tomato, ensuring local harvests reach more tables across the 12 counties we serve.

3. Connection

This welcoming space will host gatherings that celebrate good food, shared moments, and the community we are building together.

Every Penny Counts

Each donation to Feeding Northeast Florida supports an intentionally lean and efficient network that ensures every penny has a purpose. Here’s how it’s put to work:

MAXIMIZE PARTNERSHIPS

Through our affiliation with Feeding America, we receive food donations from national partners, farms, and local stores, ensuring no surplus goes to waste. Coupled with our dedicated logistics and volunteer labor, your donation fuels the collection, storage, and distribution of this food to more than 400 anti-hunger organizations throughout the community.

LEVERAGE BUYING POWER

A dollar at the grocery store doesn’t stretch far, but the food bank harnesses the power of bulk purchasing. We buy essentials by the truckload, securing significant discounts and providing thousands of meals with fewer dollars.

SUPPORT OPERATIONS

Your dollar helps cover the vital costs of operations to keep donated food safe – trucks, refrigerators, food safety measures, programs, and the team that makes it all happen. Every part of this system ensures food is safely and swiftly delivered to those in need.

FILL NUTRITION GAPS

Not all needs are met by food donations. Your support enables us to purchase specific items such as low-sodium vegetables and culturally preferred foods, filling nutritional and demographic gaps.

COMBAT WASTE

Supporting the food bank is also fighting food waste. Millions of pounds of food that would end up in landfills are redirected to local tables addressing both hunger and the environment.

Put your generosity into action.

With the purchasing power and efficiencies of our organization, we can stretch every dollar donated into more meals for the community, proving that every penny has a purpose. Whether your passion is helping families, seniors, single parents, veterans, children, the homeless, or even pets, the food bank is there providing vital support. Your generosity feeds families, sustains communities, and drives a mission where no contribution is too small to make a significant impact.

Financials & Food Sources

$78,108,404 Total Revenue & Support

Expenses

$76,782,875 Total

$32,154,516 End of year net assets

Food Sources

Revenue & Support Types of Food Distributed

Ways to Give

Every dollar makes a difference.

Together, we are Feeding Northeast Florida.

DONATE ONLINE

Every $1 you give results in healthy food for our neighbors in need.

MONTHLY GIVING

Set up a recurring gift online to ensure we can keep feeding our neighbors year-round.

FUND DRIVES

Host a virtual food drive that provides a fun and efficient way for participants to combat hunger.

GIFTS OF STOCK

Give and get more through stock donations— your gift is tax-deductible and incurs no capital gains tax.

IRA DISTRIBUTIONS

Make a difference today and save on your taxes when you support Feeding Northeast Florida through your IRA.

EMPLOYEE GIVING

Consider listing Feeding Northeast Florida as a charity of choice, or request your employer match gifts donated.

BEQUESTS

Making a gift through your will or revocable living trust is a simple and flexible way to provide access to food and support your community for years to come.

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