Does Foodshare purchase food?
Not for the most part. Ninety-five percent of the 12 million pounds of food that Foodshare distributed to local partner agencies in 2009 was donated. The one exception is that Foodshare operates a cooperative buying program for its member agencies, where Foodshare purchases needed items in bulk and then re-sells the food to the member agencies at this low cost. Monetary donations to Foodshare are not used to purchase food, but to underwrite the costs of transporting, storing, and distributing donated food, which is why every $30 donated lets Foodshare distribute enough food for one person for a month!
