Healthy Hunger Relief

Our food bank partners ensure that no one has to sacrifice good health during difficult times.

Millions of Americans struggle with hunger each year. Food banks and food pantries play a key role in meeting the nutritional needs of low-income children and families, who have less access to nutritious, affordable foods. While the charitable food system provides 3.6 billion meals to vulnerable individuals each year, a study by Mazon found that 900 million of those meals consist of candy, sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts, salty snacks, and other unhealthy food items. The children and families served by food banks and pantries often lack access to affordable, healthy foods, and are more likely to live with obesity and chronic diet-related conditions.

Since 2016, the Partnership for a Healthier America has recognized, elevated, and accelerated the work of food banks and large-scale food pantries across the country that are uplifting the health and well-being of their communities. This new type of partnership was created in response to PHA deepening its focus on the issues of equity and access as they relate to nutritious and healthier food.

PHA Healthy Hunger Relief partners are committed to addressing hunger, malnutrition, and chronic disease by increasing the supply of healthier options and fostering their demand. PHA’s 60 food bank partners reach more than 15 million food insecure individuals across 27 states and have increased the amount of healthy food distributed by 122 million pounds, while eliminating 19 million pounds of junk/snack food from their inventories.

19 Million pounds of low nutrition food removed from the system through PHA's food bank partnerships

Our Work

Food Banks are Raising the Standard for Creating Standards
PHA’s Food Assistance Partnerships: Nourishing Communities Most In-Need
Industry Rapid Response: Arkansas Foodbank

Resources

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Healthy Hunger Relief Fact Sheet

PHA's Healthy Hunger Relief work is helping transform the food system in support of Food Equity by working directly with food banks to maximize their impact. Learn more about this important program and how it's driving long-term, sustainable change in communities around the country.
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Healthy Hunger Relief Index

PHA’s Healthy Hunger Relief Index was created in 2021 to help our food bank partners make lasting health-focused organizational change. The tool includes an internal survey and a personalized progress report to help food banks get closer toward achieving Food Equity. Last year, 17 food bank partners participated in the survey.

Our food bank partners ensure that no one has to sacrifice good health during difficult times.

Our Work

Resources

Our Partners