Our vision is of a hunger-free Big Bend. No one should be hungry in our community.

Food Bank Operations - The core program of Second Harvest is the food bank designed to provide large quantities of food to those in need. We act as food storage and distribution depots for smaller front-line agencies. Second Harvest's warehouse, trucks and tracking systems ensure that struggling families have access to a safe, nutritious supply of charitable food when they need it most. Our food distribution program in the Promise Zone is supplemented by initiatives targeting at-risk youth, seniors, and those unable to access food stores. Clients receive food for no charge. Mobile Pantry - Most partner agencies lack the storage space for non-perishable, frozen and refrigerated products, limiting their capacity to store and serve large amounts of food. Mobile Pantries directly serve clients in areas of high need. Second Harvest's Mobile Pantry Program addresses the barrier by delivering nutritious food on-site, directly from refrigerated vehicles. The truck arrives at a qualified agency about 30 minutes prior to the distribution and provides approximately 5,000 pounds of food. Mobile Pantries give hungry people quick, convenient access to healthy food in a supportive setting. Distributing food directly to clients promptly facilitates a farmers market atmosphere, encouraging greater interaction between volunteers and clients, allowing them to share recipes, family traditions, and life stories. Backpack Program - Our Child Nutrition Programs are targeted at children who qualify for free or reduced lunches during the school year, but seldom have consistent meals when not in school. Children are given a 'backpack' of food each Friday to ensure their nutritional needs are met over the weekend. Summer Food Service Program - By participating in the Florida Department of Agriculture's Summer Food Service Program, Second Harvest provides nutritious meals at sponsored sites to children who might otherwise go hungry. Senior Grocery Program - The Senior Hunger Program addresses the needs of fixed-income or impoverished seniors throughout the Big Bend. It helps at-risk seniors aged 60+ by providing them with food selected to accommodate the unique nutritional needs (more calories, quality proteins, vitamin D and Calcium; less sodium). Second Harvest is part of a team of first responders in Florida. Our state partner, Feeding Florida, collaborates with Feeding America, Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), FEMA and other disaster responders to prepare for catastrophic events. Feeding Florida is an integral part of Florida State Mass Care team, helping to plan response and recovery activities and to serve our neighbors when disaster strikes.

In the past 12 months, Second Harvest delivered 7. 3 million pounds of food, equivalent to 6 million meals. Getting food to hungry people requires a dynamic infrastructure and sophisticated management. Our ability to acquire, inspect, store and deliver millions of pounds of food annually defines the unique role of a food bank. Seven shipping docks, refrigerated trucks and a 41,000 sq. ft. warehouse with 6,000 sq. ft. each of freezer and cooler space, and staff state-certified in safe food handling. During emergencies, Second Harvest can (and has) received and shipped 10 tractor trailers (400,000 pounds) of food and supplies in a day.

Second Harvest tracks the receipt and distribution of all food, produce and grocery items.

In 2017-18, Second Harvest will increase food distribution in the Big Bend by 15%, or 900,000 meals, when compared to last year.