4 3 THE GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK 2017 ANNUAL REPORT THE GREATER BOSTON FOOD BANK 2017 ANNUAL REPORT More than two-thirds of those we serve report relying on a food pantry on a regular basis. There- fore, the food The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) distributes can have a positive impact on their health (see page 5). In 2017, GBFB adopted a Nutrition Policy (Policy) for the first time. The Policy establishes guidelines for the food we acquire with the aim of contributing to more healthful diets for our clients while allevi- ating hunger and food insecurity across Eastern Massachusetts. The Policy sets the following goals to achieve by Fiscal Year 2020: • Increase produce distribution to 40 percent of total. • Increase protein and dairy distribution to 35 percent of total. Photos: (Left) GBFB’s produce Mobile Market at Bristol Community College in Fall River serves students of all ages. (Right) Families, students and community members of the Paul Revere Innovation School receive fresh, healthy food at GBFB’s School-based Pantry in Revere. POTATOES 3,003,460 pounds APPLES 1,650,045 pounds CARROTS 1,343,321 pounds SWEET POTATOES 1,091,930 pounds BANANAS 1,070,219 pounds “Research shows that people suffering from hunger and food insecurity are in poor general health, making it important we give them fresh, nutritious food.” - Jonathan Tetrault, Senior Director of Distribution Services g Targeting Good Nutrition • Prioritize low-sugar and whole grains options for grain purchases. • Reach 85 percent healthy meals nutrition analysis. • Encourage healthy eating habits by utilizing Click ‘N Cook and agency nutrition education. While these may seem ambitious targets, in 2017 about a third of our total distribution consisted of fresh fruits and vegetables, and more than half of our total distribution—60.7 million pounds of food or the equiv- alent of 50 million healthy meals—was perishable product, such as milk, eggs and meats. Proudly, nearly 80 percent of the foods GBFB acquired this year met our nutrition guidelines. We could not have acquired and distributed this record amount of fresh food without our partners who generously support our mission to end hunger here. These are some of the 50 different types of fresh fruits and vegetables that GBFB distributed to people in need across Eastern Massachusetts in 2017.