Where Does the Food that the Brazos Valley Food Bank Distributes Come From?

Donated Food

Donated food accounted for sixty-three percent (63%) of Brazos Valley Food Bank’s total food distribution from 2017 to 2018. Donated product includes:

  • Fresh produce procured with the assistance of funds from the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) administered by Feeding Texas
  • Donations from H-E-B, Kroger, Target, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club who participate in the Retail Pick Up Program.  
  • Food from manufactures and wholesalers such as Feather Crest Eggs, Oak Farms Milk, Coca-Cola and Brenham Wholesale

 

Federal Commodities

Eighteen percent (18%) of the food distributed by the Brazos Valley Food Bank was United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Commodities.  In Texas, USDA Commodities are acquired through the Texas Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). In the case of the Brazos Valley Food Bank, USDA Commodities are received from the Houston Food Bank.  USDA food includes frozen meats, canned and packaged fruits and vegetables, rice, beans pasta, cereals and peanut butter. 

 

Purchased Food

Food that was purchased accounted for ten percent (10%) of the Brazos Valley Food Bank’s food distribution. The Brazos Valley Food Bank purchases food for special programs (like BackPack, where the food needs to be low preparation, individual serving, poptop cans and shelf-stable) and for partner agencies to ensure that certain high priority items are always available (such as rice, tuna, shelf stable milk and ground meat).

 

Reclamation

Reclaimed food (once called Salvage) accounted for nine percent (9%) of the Brazos Valley Food Bank’s food distribution. Reclamation is cosmetically damaged food donated by grocery store chains and wholesalers to food banks instead and disposing of this product in landfills. This product is quality controlled by trained volunteers (click here to learn more about volunteering) to ensure it is safe for distribution, then sorted and boxed for delivery to partner agencies.