Our History - A Timeline

1980s
1990s
2000s

1982 – The Food Bank of Northwest NC begins operations from a 1,800-sq. ft. warehouse on Polo Road, receiving its first donation – 3,000 hot dog buns leftover from the grand opening celebration of the Piedmont Triad International Airport – from Jones Bakery.

1983 – Donations and distribution grow exponentially. Operations move first to a 4,500-sq. ft. space on Liberty Street, then to a 9,700-sq. ft. warehouse. Volunteers purchase and donate the first Food Bank truck. Delivery of surplus perishable foods to low-income neighborhoods begins with assistance from the Housing Authority.

1984 – A series of generous donations boost operational efficiency:
- First refrigerated truck donated by R. H. Barringer Distributing Co. & WKZL
- First distribution belt and additional fork lifts donated by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
- First walk-in freezer purchased with United Way of Forsyth County funds
- First walk-in cooler donated by Triad Vietnam Veterans
- First donation of salvage product from Harris Teeter Reclamation Center

1985 – We become a certified member of Second Harvest, the National Food Bank Network. Known now as America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network and the largest domestic hunger-relief organization, the Network includes 206 member food banks and food rescue organizations. Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” tour comes to town. He asks fans to bring cans of food and donates $10,000 to our work.

1987 – As we commemorate our 5th anniversary, annual distribution exceeds one million pounds for the second year in a row. Inventory fills our warehouse and overflows into 15,000-sq. ft. of leased space.

1989 – We are honored with United Way of Forsyth County’s Joel A. Weston Award for Excellence in Non-Profit Management. A 14-foot van is donated by the AT&T Telephone Pioneers. Distribution of USDA government commodities is made possible by the Hunger Prevention Act of 1988. Our first major food drive – Scouting For Food – is organized by the Boy Scouts of America, with Glenn Scott of WSJS as chair of the local effort.

1990 – We spring into action as Hurricanes Andrew, Hugo, Floyd and others strike, sending food and water to hungry people and support to sister food banks in affected areas. Later, the community rallies in support of a Capital Campaign, led by Chuck Chambers, President and CEO of Sara Lee Direct, to raise $1.3 million to build a new warehouse. We are honored with the America’s Second Harvest Food Bank of the Year Award and the Sara Lee Foundation Leadership Award.

1991 – A dream to better serve our network of non-profit partner agencies is realized with the dedication of a 34,000-sq. ft. warehouse at 3655 Reed Street. A Kate B. Reynolds Trust grant helps to expand our freezer/ cooler capacity and pay for a second truck. A Rural Delivery Program is launched to enhance service to partner agencies in the western and eastern reaches of our service area. Daily store-level pick ups of perishable items like bread, deli sandwiches, produce and meats is expanded. The Lowes Foods Golf Tournament to benefit the Food Bank is founded by Dennis Hatchell, Lowes Foods President and CEO, and continues as our largest annual fundraiser for 12 years. Now in its16th year, the annual tournament is run by the Food Bank with presenting sponsor K&W Cafeterias. A national partnership forged with Pampered Chef, Ltd. – Round-Up from the Heart – is launched and continues to raise $6,000 annually for our organization.

1994/1995 – Lowes Foods launches its first Friends Feeding Friends food drive. In later years, the drive expands to become a statewide event with annual food collections totaling 650,000 pounds.

1996 – The six Second Harvest Food Banks in North Carolina appeal to the General Assembly and receive funds to purchase high protein, staple food items to supplement other food donations. Continued diligent efforts serve to maintain this State Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding in subsequent years.

1997 – Our new name, Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina, better reflects our affiliation and partnership with America’s Second Harvest. In collaboration with community partners, we open our first Kids Cafe, a national program of America’s Second Harvest, to feed children at risk of hunger three evenings a week in a safe environment. America’s Second Harvest releases results of landmark hunger study. The compelling results portray hunger as a problem more serious than previously realized by most Americans.

1998 – Nan H. Griswold, founding executive director, is elected to the national board of America’s Second Harvest. A one-acre Community Garden is established under the leadership of retired businessman Jim Holmes, with support from Centenary United Methodist Church volunteers and the Children’s Home of Winston-Salem. The garden is later expanded to three acres. To date garden volunteers have sowed, tended and harvested nearly 90,000 pounds of fresh produce.

1999 – We are honored with the United Way of Forsyth County’s Joel A. Weston Award for Excellence in Non-Profit Management for a second time.

 



2000 – An Egg Grading Program is launched with a special grant from United Way of Forsyth County, providing a new source of protein-rich food for our partner agencies.

2001 – America’s Second Harvest commissions another independent hunger study. The results document the difficult choices families must make regarding paying for rent, utilities or food. A new partnership with the arts community and area restaurants is forged. The resulting inaugural Empty Bowls event is a resounding success.

2002 – Second Harvest Food Bank commemorates 20 years of strong community support in feeding the hungry and launches a $1.8 million Making Room at the Table Capital Campaign led by Ray McKinney, Executive Vice President at Wachovia, to expand its warehouse. Harris Teeter holds its first annual Harvest Feast food drive.

2003 – Friends and supporters join in dedicating our newly expanded 65,000-sq. ft. warehouse. The Rural Delivery Program grows to include 12 of our 18 counties. WXII 12 News launches a new annual holiday food drive, helping to collect more than 50,000 pounds of food. Food Lion launches a summer food drive – Hunger Has a Cure – to compliment its annual Shopping for Second Harvest holiday food drive.

2004 – On the heals of news that North Carolina ranked number one in the nation in loss of textile jobs, we are grateful for a record breaking month with food donations hitting the one million pound mark for the first time in our history.

2005 – Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit. America’s Second Harvest food banks mobilize to secure relief donations for distribution to impacted areas. We are able to secure donated warehouse space to set up disaster operations and begin work as a staging point for donations from all points northeast and across our service area. All told, more than two million pounds of food and other supplies are received, sorted, repacked and distributed to disaster survivors. A new source of nutritious canned and boxed food begins with donations of Wal-Mart salvage product. Some 200 Forsyth County letter carriers partner with Harris Teeter to help Stamp Out Hunger and collect record-level food donations as part of an annual one day nationwide food drive.

2006/2007 – Lowes Foods donates funds to launch the BackPack Program, an
innovative childhood hunger initiative providing children at risk of hunger in rural communities with a back pack full of nutritious, kid-friendly foods to take home over the weekend during the school year.

Three additional Kids Cafes are launched bringing the total number of sites to 10

Construction of the 1,200-sq. ft. Triad Community Kitchen in our warehouse is completed. It is equipped to produce nutritious, ready-to-heat meals for our partner agencies and serve as a culinary training site for unemployed and underemployed individuals in preparation for employment in the food service industry.

Second Harvest Food Bank receives Non-Profit Sector Steward Award from the NC Center for Nonprofits for demonstrating exemplary stewardship and accountability.