Food For People

When we first opened our doors in 1979, Food for People was no more than a small food closet intent upon filling the void for emergency food assistance in Humboldt County. Food distribution grew steadily from those humble beginnings, and over the following years, we expanded and began conducting our operations out of a small local residence, utilizing rented warehouse space just a few blocks away.

During that time Food for People also began providing food for several pantries located throughout the County in addition to our direct food distribution in Eureka. Access to refrigeration and freezer space was extremely limited, and by 1996, we were bursting at the seams and ill-prepared to accommodate the steadily increasing requests for emergency food assistance.

In 1998, thanks to support received through a Community Development Block Grant, a grant from The California Endowment, our Harvest Home capital campaign and the generosity of local citizens, churches, businesses and civic organizations, we were able to purchase and retrofit the 9,000 square foot warehouse at 307 West 14th Street in Eureka that now houses our food bank. This space includes a large walk-in cooler and two walk-in freezers.

Our Vision

We envision a community where no one is hungry, and everyone in Humboldt County has access to good quality, nutritious food, everyone in the community understands the consequences of hunger and poor nutrition and that each one of us has a role to play in creating a strong, healthy community.

Our Mission Statement

Food for People is working to eliminate hunger and improve the health and well-being of our community through access to healthy and nutritious foods, community education and advocacy

Our Values

• Respect— we will treat all of our relationships with respect.
• Teamwork— we will foster cooperation among our diverse volunteers, staff and community partners.
• Innovation— we will continually seek to provide excellent service through the development of new and improved methods to reduce hunger.
• Stewardship— we will be accountable to all through the efficient and most appropriate use of resources entrusted to us.
• Integrity— we will demonstrate the highest ethical standards in all interactions. Currently, we operate a total of 14 community food programs, each of which is designated to address the needs of those who are experiencing hunger and food insecurity.