About Us
 Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana is a 501 c (3) non-profit organization whose mission is to acquire and distribute food in partnership with agencies serving people in need. It was legally incorporated on December 9, 1982 and began in a 48,000 square foot loaned warehouse space. In July of 1983, Second Harvesters was distributing product to twenty-three certified recipient agencies. By the end of the next year, the recipient agencies had grown to seventy-three, and the food bank proudly proclaimed that it was receiving and distributing "more than 50,000 pounds of food each month!"
For the next twenty years leading up to Hurricane Katrina, Second Harvest Food Bank distributed more than 14 million pounds of donated and surplus food from the food industry and government commodities to 350 social service agencies throughout southern Louisiana. These pre-screened charitable organizations include senior care centers, day care centers, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, church pantries and drug rehabilitation programs. They serve lower income individuals and families who are without food or funds and faced with the reality of hunger.
In today's post-Hurricanes Katrina/Rita world, Second Harvest's food distribution rate is at an unprecedented 52 million plus pounds since Hurricane Katrina made landfall on August 29, 2005. There are approximately 80 regular member agencies in Second Harvest's 23-parish service territory in Southern Louisiana. Second Harvest Food Bank continues to do its part to rebuild New Orleans and Acadiana affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Second Harvest Food Bank is a member of the America's Second Harvest National Food Bank Network, an agency of the United Way and the Office of the Social Apostolate.
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