Our Mission
The Heartland Food Bank is the only local food bank serving Highlands County. The primary purpose of a Food Bank is to supply food to food pantries, run by non-profit organizations and churches, which provide food directly to needy families in their communities. The “bank” can amass, store, and distribute large volumes of food, amounts far greater than the average pantry can handle.
how we operate
Before we opened, Food was being picked up from grocery stores in Highlands County and taken to Lakeland, the closest Feeding America Food Bank. Through Feeding America’s national contracts with grocery store chains, HFB became eligible to pick up surplus food from Aldi, Flowers Bakery, Publix, Save-A-Lot, Wal-Mart, and Winn-Dixie stores throughout Highlands County. Many organizations hold food drives on our behalf that benefit the organizations we work with and the community they serve. We also seek grant opportunities to fund operations and special programs. Community support and volunteerism are crucial to our success. We thank everyone involved in helping us fulfill our mission.