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Harvest Hope Food Bank

EIN 57-0725560 · Columbia, SC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood71 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

HARVEST HOPE IS ON A MISSION TO ELIMINATE HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY IN SOUTH CAROLINA. WE RESCUE NUTRITIOUS FOOD FROM STORES THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND DISTRIBUTE IT TO FOOD PANTRIES, SHELTERS, AND SOUP KITCHENS. WE OPERATE PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE FOOD FOR OUR MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS: CHILDREN, SENIORS, AND RURAL RESIDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO GROCERY STORES. WE ALSO RUN OUR OWN EMERGENCY FOOD PANTRIES IN GREENVILLE AND COLUMBIA, WHERE ANYONE IN NEED CAN GET A WEEK'S SUPPLY OF GROCERIES FOR FREE.

Income
$50.5 million
Spending
$48.2 million
Spent on programs
97%
Reserves
2.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 60%
Employees
123
Volunteers
10,566
Highest pay
$207,676, ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 21% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 12% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    97% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 10% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 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

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 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 (3)
  1. $37.4 million spent. PARTNER AGENCY FOOD DISTRIBUTION: SINCE 1981, HARVEST HOPE FOOD BANK PRIMARILY DISTRIBUTES FOOD THROUGH A NETWORK OF OVER 400 PARTNER AGENCIES. THESE AGENCIES ARE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS EMERGENCY FOOD PANTRIES, SOUP KITCHENS, SHELTERS, AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, AND TRANSITIONAL HOMES. THIS ALLOWS HARVEST HOPE TO REACH INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FACING HUNGER DIRECTLY WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITIES ACROSS 20 COUNTIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA. HARVEST HOPE TAKES ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SOURCING, COLLECTING, STORING, AND TRANSPORTING LARGE QUANTITIES OF FOOD. THIS RELIEVES THE BURDEN ON PARTNER AGENCIES, ALLOWING THEM TO FOCUS THEIR TIME, ENERGY, AND RESOURCES ON PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS. HARVEST HOPE PROVIDES VALUABLE SUPPORT TO ITS PARTNER AGENCIES, OFFERING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON VARIOUS ASPECTS, INCLUDING PROGRAM MODELS, SAFE FOOD HANDLING AND STORAGE, AND PUBLIC POLICY AND ADVOCACY.
  2. $2.1 million spent. BACKPACK AND CFSP PROGRAMS:THE HARVEST HOPE FOOD BANK'S BACKPACK PROGRAM IS A CRUCIAL INITIATIVE FOCUSED ON PROVIDING WEEKEND MEALS TO CHILDREN FACING HUNGER IN SOUTH CAROLINA. RECOGNIZING THAT MANY CHILDREN RELY ON SCHOOL MEALS AS THEIR PRIMARY SOURCE OF NUTRITION, THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO BRIDGE THE GAP DURING WEEKENDS AND SCHOOL BREAKS WHEN THESE RESOURCES ARE UNAVAILABLE. THE PROGRAM DIRECTLY TACKLES THE ISSUE OF FOOD INSECURITY THAT MANY CHILDREN EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY ARE NOT IN SCHOOL. IT ENSURES THAT THESE VULNERABLE CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND. HARVEST HOPE'S BACKPACK PROGRAM ACTS AS A VITAL SAFETY NET, PROVIDING ESSENTIAL WEEKEND NUTRITION TO CHILDREN WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE GO HUNGRY, THEREBY SUPPORTING THEIR WELL-BEING AND DEVELOPMENT. THE HARVEST HOPE FOOD BANK PARTICIPATES IN THE COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM (CSFP), A FEDERAL NUTRITION PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA). THIS PROGRAM IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE AT LEAST 60 YEARS OF AGE BY SUPPLEMENTING THEIR DIETS WITH NUTRITIOUS USDA FOODS.IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING FOOD, THE CSFP PROGRAM THROUGH HARVEST HOPE MAY ALSO OFFER VALUABLE NUTRITION INFORMATION TO HELP SENIORS MAKE INFORMED CHOICES ABOUT THEIR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. THE CSFP PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY HARVEST HOPE PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY AMONG LOW-INCOME SENIORS IN SOUTH CAROLINA, HELPING THEM ACCESS NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO MAINTAIN THEIR HEALTH AND OVERALL WELL-BEING.
  3. $7.5 million spent. EMERGENCY FOOD PANTRY:WHILE HARVEST HOPE FOOD BANK PRIMARILY OPERATES THROUGH A NETWORK OF PARTNER AGENCIES TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD, THEY ALSO RUN THEIR OWN DIRECT EMERGENCY FOOD PANTRIES AT SOME OF THEIR FACILITY LOCATIONS. THESE PANTRIES SERVE AS A DIRECT POINT OF ACCESS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FACING IMMEDIATE FOOD NEEDS. THESE DIRECT PANTRIES ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF HARVEST HOPE'S BROADER MISSION TO ELIMINATE HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY IN SOUTH CAROLINA, COMPLEMENTING THEIR WORK WITH PARTNER AGENCIES AND OTHER PROGRAMS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2024, 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 2024.

    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 March 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.

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