Second Harvest of Silicon Valley
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO REALIZE OUR VISION OF A HUNGER FREE COMMUNITY WE WILL PROVIDE MORE FOOD, HEALTHY FOOD AND BETTER ACCESS TO FOOD. WE WILL LEVERAGE OUR OWN RESOURCES AND ALSO WORK WITH PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
- Income
- $309.8 million
- Spending
- $261.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 3.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 89%
- Employees
- 329
- Volunteers
- 32,000
- Highest pay
- $448,297, ceo
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: 80 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, over $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 0% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 18 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 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
- Distributed 112 million pounds of food, enough for more than 94 million meals.Work delivered
- More than 66 million pounds of the food distributed was fresh produce.Work delivered
- 17 million pounds of food were rescued from retail stores.Work delivered
- The hotline team received more than 42,000 inquiries.Work delivered
- The team submitted nearly 2,000 CalFresh applications.Work delivered
- More than 1,200 CalFresh applications were approved, providing more than 1 million additional meals.Change achieved
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 (1)
- $246.0 million spent. SECOND HARVEST OF SILICON VALLEY (ALSO KNOWN AS "SECOND HARVEST") IS A NONPROFIT 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION ESTABLISHED IN 1974 AND INCORPORATED IN 1979. SECOND HARVEST IS ONE OF THE LARGEST FOOD BANKS IN THE NATION AND A TRUSTED NONPROFIT LEADER IN ENDING LOCAL HUNGER. IN SILICON VALLEY, ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST REGIONS IN THE COUNTRY, FOOD INSECURITY IS HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. ONE IN SIX NEIGHBORS RELIES ON SECOND HARVEST FOR NUTRITIOUS FOOD, HALF OF WHOM ARE KIDS AND SENIORS. INFLATION AND THE HIGH COST OF HOUSING DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT NEIGHBORS LIVING ON FIXED INCOMES OR EARNING LOWER WAGES IN JOBS THAT KEEP THE COMMUNITY RUNNING (SUCH AS GROCERY CLERKS, BUS DRIVERS, TEACHING ASSISTANTS AND SERVICE WORKERS). (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) THE INCREASED COST OF EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS LIKE FOOD, GAS AND RENT TAKES UP A MUCH LARGER PORTION OF BUDGETS, SO EVEN SMALL PRICE INCREASES CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING ABLE TO COVER EXPENSES OR NOT. EVEN PEOPLE WHO WORK MULTIPLE JOBS MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY PAYING ALL THEIR BILLS, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME EARNING TOO MUCH TO QUALIFY FOR GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, LIKE CALFRESH, WHICH ARE CALCULATED BASED ON THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL AND NOT ADJUSTED FOR THE HIGHER COST OF LIVING IN SILICON VALLEY. INSUFFICIENT FEDERAL FUNDING FOR SUPPORT PROGRAMS INCLUDING CALFRESH, FORMERLY KNOWN AS FOOD STAMPS, A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO BE THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST HUNGER, HAS PLACED SECOND HARVEST IN THE POSITION OF BEING THE PRIMARY FOOD SAFETY NET FOR MANY FAMILIES IN THE REGION. SUPPORT FROM WIC THE SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN IS ALSO INADEQUATE, INCREASING THE PRESSURE ON SECOND HARVEST. CHANGES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL BROUGHT NEW CHALLENGES THIS YEAR. IN MARCH 2025, USDA CANCELED 17 TRUCKLOADS OF FOOD THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO COME TO SECOND HARVEST INCLUDING EXPENSIVE, HIGH-PROTEIN ITEMS LIKE CHICKEN, MILK AND EGGS VALUED AT APPROXIMATELY $1 MILLION. AND SHORTLY AFTER THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED, THE PASSAGE OF THE FEDERAL BUDGET RECONCILIATION BILL, ALSO KNOWN AS THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL, ENACTED THE DEEPEST CUTS TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP), CALLED CALFRESH IN CALIFORNIA, IN HISTORY. THESE CUTS, ALONG WITH CUTS TO MEDICAID, WILL HAVE REAL CONSEQUENCES THAT RIPPLE ACROSS DINNER TABLES, CLASSROOMS AND COMMUNITIES IN THE YEARS AHEAD. AS SECOND HARVEST NAVIGATES A TIME OF ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY AND RISING NEED, SECOND HARVEST OF SILICON VALLEY REMAINS STEADFAST IN ITS MISSION TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND OR CIRCUMSTANCE HAS ACCESS TO THE NUTRITIOUS FOOD THEY NEED TO THRIVE. WITH THE UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY, SECOND HARVEST CONTINUES TO MEET THE MOMENT WITH COMPASSION, INNOVATION AND RESILIENCE. HOW SECOND HARVEST SERVED THE COMMUNITY: - SCALE OF OPERATIONS: IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, SECOND HARVEST DISTRIBUTED 112 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD, ENOUGH FOOD FOR MORE THAN 94 MILLION MEALS. SECOND HARVEST OBTAINED FOOD AT A VERY LOW COST BY EMPLOYING EFFICIENT FOOD SOURCING STRATEGIES, SUCH AS RESCUING FOOD FROM FARMS, GROCERY STORES AND DISTRIBUTORS THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE GO TO WASTE, AND NEGOTIATING LOW PRICES AROUND LARGE-VOLUME, BULK PURCHASES, PARTICULARLY FOR LEAN PROTEIN AND DAIRY ITEMS. SECOND HARVEST ALSO RECEIVED DONATIONS OF COMMODITIES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS PRICE SUPPORT FOR FARMERS. NEARLY 60% OF THE FOOD DISTRIBUTED, OR MORE THAN 66 MILLION POUNDS, WAS FRESH PRODUCE, REFLECTING SECOND HARVEST'S COMMITMENT TO NUTRITION AND HEALTH. - PARTNER NETWORK: SECOND HARVEST MAINTAINS A POWERFUL NETWORK OF NEARLY 400 NONPROFIT AGENCIES AT MORE THAN 900 SITES ACROSS SANTA CLARA AND SAN MATEO COUNTIES. THESE INCLUDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING SITES, SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, LIBRARIES, COMMUNITY AND SENIOR CENTERS, FAITH COMMUNITIES, SHELTERS, MEAL SITES AND MORE. ALMOST EVERY NONPROFIT PROVIDING CHARITABLE FOOD IN SILICON VALLEY IS LIKELY GETTING IT FROM SECOND HARVEST, FREE OF CHARGE. THE COMMUNITY-POWERED APPROACH KEEPS SECOND HARVEST NIMBLE AND READY TO RESPOND WHEN NEEDS CHANGE. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025, SECOND HARVEST WORKED ALONGSIDE ITS PARTNERS TO TRANSITION GROCERY DISTRIBUTION SITES FROM LOW-CONTACT DRIVE-THRU FORMATS WITH PRE-BOXED FOOD THAT WERE ESSENTIAL DURING THE PANDEMIC BACK TO FARMERS' MARKETSTYLE DISTRIBUTIONS. THIS MARKET MODEL GIVES SECOND HARVEST'S CLIENTS THE DIGNITY OF CHOICE - SELECTING THE FOODS AND QUANTITIES THAT WORK BEST FOR THEIR HOUSEHOLDS WHILE HELPING SECOND HARVEST MAKE THE MOST OF ITS RESOURCES. - FOOD RESCUE: TO MAINTAIN THE STEADY SUPPLY OF NUTRITIOUS FOOD SECOND HARVEST SOURCES AND DISTRIBUTES - INCLUDING FRESH PRODUCE, DAIRY, GRAINS AND PANTRY STAPLES LAST YEAR IT CONTINUED TO LEVERAGE LARGE-SCALE DONATIONS, MANAGE A ROBUST GROCERY RESCUE PROGRAM AND PURCHASE IN BULK. SECOND HARVEST PREVENTED FOOD WASTE BY RESCUING LARGE VOLUMES OF QUALITY FOOD FROM FARMS AND RETAIL STORES AND DISTRIBUTING IT TO HOUSEHOLDS FACING FOOD INSECURITY. AS THE LEADER IN FOOD RESCUE IN SANTA CLARA AND SAN MATEO COUNTIES, LAST YEAR SECOND HARVEST AND ITS PARTNERS RECOVERED THE VAST MAJORITY OF RESCUED FOOD IN SANTA CLARA AND SAN MATEO COUNTIES. OF THE 112 MILLION POUNDS SECOND HARVEST DISTRIBUTED IN TOTAL, 75% WAS RESCUED - 17 MILLION POUNDS FROM RETAIL STORES ALONE NOURISHING NEIGHBORS, PREVENTING WASTE AND KEEPING FOOD OUT OF LANDFILLS. BY CONTINUING TO EXPAND THE FOOD RESCUE PROGRAMS, SECOND HARVEST IS ABLE TO EFFICIENTLY AND MORE SUSTAINABLY SOURCE AND PROVIDE A NUTRITIOUS MIX OF FOODS TO ITS CLIENTS AND PARTNERS. - MULTILINGUAL SUPPORT: SECOND HARVEST'S MULTILINGUAL FOOD CONNECTION HOTLINE TEAM CONNECTS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO IMMEDIATE FOOD ASSISTANCE AS WELL AS LONG TERM PROGRAMS LIKE CALFRESH. LAST YEAR, THE TEAM RECEIVED MORE THAN 42,000 INQUIRIES, INCLUDING CALLS, PARTNER REFERRALS AND REQUESTS VIA SECOND HARVEST'S WEBSITE. THE TEAM SUBMITTED NEARLY 2,000 CALFRESH APPLICATIONS AND MORE THAN 1,200 WERE APPROVED, WHICH PROVIDED MORE THAN 1 MILLION ADDITIONAL MEALS TO THE C
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
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 1979.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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