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Central Pennsylvania Food Bank

EIN 23-2202250 · Harrisburg, PA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood72 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceReports resultsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR MISSION IS TO SOLVE HUNGER IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA BY ENSURING THAT EVERYONE STRUGGLING WITH HUNGER HAS ACCESS TO ENOUGH WHOLESOME FOOD EVERY DAY. WE WILL ACHIEVE THIS BOLD GOAL WITH THE HELP OF OUR GENEROUS DONORS, VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

Income
$134.2 million
Spending
$133.5 million
Spent on programs
96%
Reserves
1.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 96%
Employees
157
Volunteers
12,500
Highest pay
$299,355, ceo (through 6/2025)

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 72 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 11% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    96% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    22 of 22 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Reports results. Its tax return states measurable results. These are its own figures and nobody has checked them.

Results it reports

  • Nearly 55.5 million meals were provided in Central PA.Work delivered
  • More than 268,000 people are served each month with over 1,100 community organizations in 27 counties.Work delivered
  • Mobile distributions served over 8 million meals, including the MilitaryShare program.Work delivered
  • The ElderShare program reached over 4,000 seniors each month.Work delivered
  • Over 27.8 million pounds of farm products were shared with neighbors.Work delivered

Read from the return by an AI model and shown only where the wording was found in the return. These are the charity's own figures.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $94.0 million spent. FIGHTING HUNGER: CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FOOD BANK (CPFB) IS IN ITS FINAL YEAR OF OUR 10-YEAR BOLD GOAL OF ENDING HUNGER IN CENTRAL PA BY THE YEAR 2025, WHILE CONTINUING TO RESPOND TO CHANGING ECONOMIC CONDITIONS RESULTING IN A GROWING NEED ACROSS CENTRAL PA. IN FY2025, CPFB PROVIDED NEARLY 55.5 MILLION MEALS IN CENTRAL PA. CPFB CURRENTLY SERVES MORE THAN 268,000 PEOPLE EACH MONTH IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OVER 1,100 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN 27 COUNTIES. CPFB ALSO MAINTAINED EXCELLENT STEWARDSHIP: ADMINISTRATIVE & FUNDRAISING COSTS COMPRISED ONLY 3% OF OUR TOTAL EXPENSES, AND 97% OF EXPENSES WERE INVESTED INTO OUR PROGRAMS. FOR EVERY $1 DONATED TO THE FOOD BANK, 4 MEALS WERE PROVIDED TO OUR NEIGHBORS.
  2. $33.4 million spent. IMPROVING LIVES: CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FOOD BANK, AN INNOVATOR IN THE FEEDING AMERICA NETWORK, IS COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE IN NEED. SERVICES LIKE THE SNAP HEALTHLINE ASSIST WITH ENROLLMENT IN SNAP AND REFERRAL TO OTHER SERVICES. MOBILE DISTRIBUTIONS SERVED OVER 8 MILLION MEALS THIS YEAR, INCLUSIVE OF OUR MILITARYSHARE PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES ON VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. YOUTH-FOCUSED PROGRAMS LIKE KIDS CAFE, BACKPACK, AND SCHOOL PANTRIES SERVED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN EACH WEEK, AND OUR ELDERSHARE PROGRAM REACHED OVER 4,000 SENIORS EACH MONTH. ALSO DURING FY2025, CPFB LEVERAGED THE LOCAL FOOD PURCHASE ASSISTANCE AND PENNSYLVANIA AGRICULTURAL SURPLUS PROGRAMS, THE MID-ATLANTIC REGIONAL COOPERATIVE, AND FARMERS, PRODUCERS, GROCERS, AND DISTRIBUTORS TO SHARE OVER 27.8 MILLION POUNDS OF NUTRITIOUS FARM PRODUCTS WITH NEIGHBORS. WE CONTINUE OUR HEALTHCARE PARTNERSHIPS, SUCH AS HEALTHSHARE BOXES AND OUR FOOD AS MEDICINE PROGRAMMING.
  3. $1.0 million spent. STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES: CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FOOD BANK MAINTAINS A PERMANENT ENDOWMENT DEDICATED TO STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND BUILDING CAPACITY WITH OUR PARTNER AGENCIES. ESTABLISHED IN 2009, CPFB HAS PROVIDED $5.7M IN FUNDING FOR CAPACITY IMPROVEMENT GRANTS FOR OUR PARTNERS, TO EXPAND OUR MOBILE DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS, FRESH EXPRESS AND MILITARYSHARE, AND OTHER INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS. THESE PROJECTS ENABLE CPFB AND ITS PARTNERS TO SERVE MORE FRESH, NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED ACROSS CENTRAL PA. CPFB ALSO MAINTAINS STRONG RESEARCH & DATA FUNCTION TO CONDUCT LOCAL HUNGER MAPPING AND OTHER ACTIVITIES TO HELP US BETTER SERVE OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED AND OUR COMMUNITIES. WE ARE THANKFUL TO OUR DONORS FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THIS VITAL WORK.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since May 1982.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.