Rhode Island Community Food Bank

During a week where 5,500 people lost access to their SNAP benefits, we are especially grateful to the Rhode Island House of Representatives for passing a budget that includes $2.95 million for food purchasing. This will support the work of our 137 member agencies across the state.
We look forward to working with Rhode Island Senate as the state budget moves toward final passage.

Last night, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank co-hosted an impactful Community Table conversation with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center Executive Director, Heather Hole Strout, and RI Food Bank CEO, Melissa Cherney, at the MLK Center in Newport.

Moderated by RI Food Bank CPO, Dana DiMarco, the conversation centered around the current state of hunger in Rhode Island, and how the MLK works to uplift neighbors in Newport County.

The MLK Center distributes over 1.3 million meals a year, and being a member agency of the RI Food Bank is a critical component of making this possible: 44% of the food they distribute is received for free from the RI Community Food Bank. 🍎 From Aquidneck Island and beyond, the Food Bank reaches the entire state of Rhode Island through partnerships with frontline agencies like the MLK Center: last year, we distributed a staggering 18.6 million lbs of food around the Ocean State.

Thank you to everyone who participated in last night's event!

Comprehensive Community Action Program (CCAP) in Cranston is growing their own solutions to food insecurity: fruit trees, berry bushes, pollinator-friendly plants, raised beds, 2 greenhouses, and naturally-grown produce are all part of a thriving community garden that distributed 4,700+ pounds of locally-grown produce to food pantry guests in 2025 alone. 🍅

Community gardening is grassroots, community-centric, and sustainable, and Comprehensive Community Action Program, Inc. is a prime example of these ideals in action.

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