Feeding America is the second-largest charity in the U.S., according to Forbes Magazine’s newly released annual list of the 100 largest U.S. charities ranked by private donations. In its fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief and food recovery organization received $3.5 billion in private donations, a 19 percent increase over last year. Research for the Forbes list was based on financial data from 2020. This is the fourth year in a row Feeding America has been rated the No. 2 charity by Forbes, which also reported that Feeding America has a 99 percent efficiency rating.
“2020 created a 50-state crisis affecting every food bank in our network. Almost immediately, food banks saw more people turning to them for help,” said Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot. “At the same time, we saw incredible generosity from donors, large and small, that helped us distribute more meals and maintain our focus on our neighbors in need. With our access, infrastructure, credibility and resources, we were uniquely positioned to rise to the challenge of this food crisis brought on by the pandemic.”
Feeding America’s overall revenue in its 2020 fiscal year included $2.96 billion in donated goods and services (up 12% from last year) and $583 million in fundraising contributions (up 262% from last year).
FORBES: AMERICA’S TOP CHARITIES 2021
Rank Charity Private Donations Efficiency
1 United Way $3.8B 88%
2 Feeding America $3.5B 99%
3 Salvation Army $2.4B 90%
4 St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital $2.1B 86%
5 Direct Relief $1.9B 100%
6 Habitat for Humanity $1.5B 88%
7 Americares $1.4B 99%
8 YMCA of the USA $1.3B 89%
9 Boys & Girls Clubs of America $1.1B 88%
10 Compassion International $1.1B 91%
The Feeding America network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs has been on the front lines responding to increased demand for food assistance over the past year. There were tens of millions of people in America facing hunger before the pandemic and that is still true today. More than 38 million people, including nearly 12 million children are food insecure, and 1 out of 5 people turned to the charitable food sector for help in 2020.
Contributions to Feeding America during this period — a year that saw a deadly pandemic and a near-constant series of climate-driven disasters — coincided with an increase in demand for the organization’s services. For the first 12 months of the pandemic, food banks reported an average increase of 55% in demand for food assistance and that for many people it was their first time turning to them for help.
Thanks to community volunteers, donors, and dedicated staff, 5.2 billion meals went to people in need in fiscal 2020, an increase of 24% from the prior year. The organization also rescued 4 billion pounds of good, safe groceries from going to waste and distributed more 1.8 billion pounds of fresh produce to families.
Feeding America stepped-up efforts in response to the concurrent crises of the nation’s largest-ever wildfires, the most active hurricanes in U.S. history, and the COVID-19 pandemic, helping provide 2.5 million pounds of food, water and supplies as a supplement to relief supplies that were mobilized locally.
In the Forbes 2021 ranking, Feeding America received a score of 99 percent for charitable commitment (how much of a charity’s total expense went directly to the charitable purpose) and 99 percent on fundraising efficiency (the percent of private donations remaining after deducting fundraising costs).
As the 2021 tax year comes to a close, there is still time to make a tax-deductible contribution to help end hunger in the U.S. Feeding America encourages people to give the gift of food and help people facing hunger. Each $1 donated helps provide at least 10 meals to neighbors in need. Everyone can make a difference by visiting feedingamerica.org/donate.
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About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.3 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.