El Pasoans Fighting Hunger
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO COMBAT THE HUNGER CRISIS IN OUR REGION BY STRATEGICALLY PROCURING AND DISTRIBUTING NUTRITIOUS FOOD THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERS. BECAUSE NO ONE SHOULD GO HUNGRY.
- Income
- $233.3 million
- Spending
- $232.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 99%
- Reserves
- -0.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 84%
- Employees
- 119
- Highest pay
- $286,345, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 47 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, over $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 63% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1599% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 256 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $231.3 million spent. EL PASOANS FIGHTING HUNGER FOOD BANK (THE ORGANIZATION) IS A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION APPROVED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE AS A CODE SECTION 501(C)3 ORGANIZATION AND WAS ESTABLISHED ON JULY 13, 2011 TO COMBAT THE HUNGER CRISIS IN OUR REGION BY STRATEGICALLY PROCURING AND DISTRIBUTING NUTRITIOUS FOOD THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERS. YEARS AGO, EL PASOANS FIGHTING HUNGER FOOD BANK SEPARATED FROM ODESSA AND BECAME THE YOUNGEST FOOD BANK IN THE COUNTRY. THE ORGANIZATION IS EL PASO'S ONLY FOOD BANK AND IS A MEMBER OF FEEDING AMERICA.THE FOOD BANK FULFILLS ITS MISSION THROUGH THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: SNAP: THE ORGANIZATION IS A COLLABORATIVE HUB FOR HUNGER INITIATIVES THAT ASSISTS IN SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE (SNAP) APPLICATIONS. SOCIAL SERVICES COORDINATORS ASSIST NOT ONLY WITH THE SNAP PROGRAM FORMERLY KNOWN AS FOOD STAMPS, BUT ALSO WITH ALL STATE BENEFITS SUCH AS MEDICAID AND TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY FAMILIES (TANF). IN 2024, OVER 1,500 NEW ENROLLEES WERE PROCESSED, AND MORE THAN 2,800 RE-ENROLLMENTS WERE CERTIFIED. WITH THE EASING OF CONTACT RESTRICTIONS, OFFSITE HUBS WERE RE- ESTABLISHED AT MULTIPLE SITES FROM VINTON IN THE WEST TO SAN ELIZARIO IN THE EAST. MERCADO: THE OUTDOOR MERCADO AT THE FRONT OF THE FOOD BANK CONTINUED OPERATIONS IN AVERAGE OF 1,500 FAMILIES A DAY, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. WITH FUNDING FROM A STATE OF TEXAS CAPACITY BUILDING GRANT, WE COMPLETED A SIGNATURE SHADE STRUCTURE FOR THE MERCADO, ALONG WITH A PERMANENT CLIMATE- CONTROLLED CLIENT REGISTRATION AREA. THIS CONTINUES TO BE OUR LOWEST COST DISTRIBUTION POINT AND AFFORDS THE FOOD BANK AND PARTNERS DAILY ACCESS TO THOSE WE SERVE AND EXPANDS REACH TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO OTHER MUCH NEEDED SERVICES TO THE NEEDIEST IN OUR COMMUNITY. HOME DELIVERY: THE PARTNERSHIP CONTINUED WITH DOOR DASH TO DELIVER OVER 60,000 EMERGENCY FOOD BOXES FREE OF CHARGE TO HOMEBOUND EL PASOANS IN 2024. WE CONTINUE TO SERVE LOW-INCOME ELDERLY, DISABLED AND COVID POSITIVE PEOPLE/FAMILIES. AGENCY PARTNERS: THE FOOD BANK CONTINUES TO PARTNER WITH 132 AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD THROUGHOUT EL PASO, HUDSPETH, AND CULBERSON COUNTIES.PARTNERS INCLUDE CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, SOUP KITCHENS AND SHELTERS TO CONTINUE THE MISSION OF MAKING SURE NO ONE GOES HUNGRY. MOBILE AND SCHOOL PANTRY DISTRIBUTION: THE NUMBER OF MOBILE PANTRIES IN 2024 WAS OVER 950. WHILE A NUMBER OF PARTNER AGENCIES CUT BACK ON MOBILES AS VOLUNTEER AVAILABILITY CONTINUED TO BE A BARRIER TO STAFFING THE DISTRIBUTIONS; SCHOOL PANTRIES INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY AS SCHOOLS REOPENED.OF THE TOTAL, 164 WERE SCHOOL MOBILE PANTRIES WITH 30 SCHOOL PARTNERS, INCLUDING UTEP AND EL PASO, SOCORRO, AND YSLETA ISD SITES STARTING PANTRIES. NSLP: THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM (NSLP) CONTINUED IN 2024, ENSURING FOOD COMMODITIES FOR THE FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PROGRAMS FOR LOW-INCOME CHILDREN. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED 992,328 POUNDS OF FOOD TO SCHOOLS; 218 SCHOOLS IN 7 WEST TEXAS COUNTIES. CSFP: THE COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM (CSFP) SERVES VERY LOW-INCOME SENIORS IN OUR THREE COUNTY REGION; WITH AN INCREASED CASE-LOAD OF 5,250 PER MONTH (FROM 4,800), THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES CONSISTENT ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOODS THAT HELP MAINTAIN THEIR HEALTH. EL PASOANS FIGHTING HUNGER FOOD BANK (THE ORGANIZATION) IS A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION APPROVED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE AS A CODE SECTION 501(C)3 ORGANIZATION AND WAS ESTABLISHED ON JULY 13, 2011 TO COMBAT THE HUNGER CRISIS IN OUR REGION BY STRATEGICALLY PROCURING AND DISTRIBUTING NUTRITIOUS FOOD THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERS. YEARS AGO, EL PASOANS FIGHTING HUNGER FOOD BANK SEPARATED FROM ODESSA AND BECAME THE YOUNGEST FOOD BANK IN THE COUNTRY. THE ORGANIZATION IS EL PASO'S ONLY FOOD BANK AND IS A MEMBER OF FEEDING AMERICA.THE FOOD BANK FULFILLS ITS MISSION THROUGH THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: SNAP: THE ORGANIZATION IS A COLLABORATIVE HUB FOR HUNGER INITIATIVES THAT ASSISTS IN SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE (SNAP) APPLICATIONS. SOCIAL SERVICES COORDINATORS ASSIST NOT ONLY WITH THE SNAP PROGRAM FORMERLY KNOWN AS FOOD STAMPS, BUT ALSO WITH ALL STATE BENEFITS SUCH AS MEDICAID AND TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY FAMILIES (TANF). IN 2024, OVER 1,500 NEW ENROLLEES WERE PROCESSED, AND MORE THAN 2,800 RE-ENROLLMENTS WERE CERTIFIED. WITH THE EASING OF CONTACT RESTRICTIONS, OFFSITE HUBS WERE RE- ESTABLISHED AT MULTIPLE SITES FROM VINTON IN THE WEST TO SAN ELIZARIO IN THE EAST. MERCADO: THE OUTDOOR MERCADO AT THE FRONT OF THE FOOD BANK CONTINUED OPERATIONS IN AVERAGE OF 1,500 FAMILIES A DAY, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. WITH FUNDING FROM A STATE OF TEXAS CAPACITY BUILDING GRANT, WE COMPLETED A SIGNATURE SHADE STRUCTURE FOR THE MERCADO, ALONG WITH A PERMANENT CLIMATE- CONTROLLED CLIENT REGISTRATION AREA. THIS CONTINUES TO BE OUR LOWEST COST DISTRIBUTION POINT AND AFFORDS THE FOOD BANK AND PARTNERS DAILY ACCESS TO THOSE WE SERVE AND EXPANDS REACH TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO OTHER MUCH NEEDED SERVICES TO THE NEEDIEST IN OUR COMMUNITY. HOME DELIVERY: THE PARTNERSHIP CONTINUED WITH DOOR DASH TO DELIVER OVER 60,000 EMERGENCY FOOD BOXES FREE OF CHARGE TO HOMEBOUND EL PASOANS IN 2024. WE CONTINUE TO SERVE LOW-INCOME ELDERLY, DISABLED AND COVID POSITIVE PEOPLE/FAMILIES. AGENCY PARTNERS: THE FOOD BANK CONTINUES TO PARTNER WITH 132 AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD THROUGHOUT EL PASO, HUDSPETH, AND CULBERSON COUNTIES.PARTNERS INCLUDE CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, SOUP KITCHENS AND SHELTERS TO CONTINUE THE MISSION OF MAKING SURE NO ONE GOES HUNGRY. MOBILE AND SCHOOL PANTRY DISTRIBUTION: THE NUMBER OF MOBILE PANTRIES IN 2024 WAS OVER 950. WHILE A NUMBER OF PARTNER AGENCIES CUT BACK ON MOBILES AS VOLUNTEER AVAILABILITY CONTINUED TO BE A BARRIER TO STAFFING THE DISTRIBUTIONS; SCHOOL PANTRIES INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY AS SCHOOLS REOPENED.OF THE TOTAL, 164 WERE SCHOOL MOBILE PANTRIES WITH 30 SCHOOL PARTNERS, INCLUDING UTEP AND EL PASO, SOCORRO, AND YSLETA ISD SITES STARTING PANTRIES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
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.
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.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 2011.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.