This piece is part of a series that examines the impact of our current strategic plan over the last three years. Read “Part I: Finding Certainty in Uncertain Times.

- Dedicated local leaders are essential: A food bank is only successful when it’s designed and operated by local people who are exceptionally committed to the communities where they live. “When we talk about successfully expanding food relief, we have to start by crediting the leadership of Network food banks,” Moon said. “They’ve got incredible tenacity, and they’re extraordinarily dedicated—that’s the most important thing if you’re building anything.”
- Newer food banks are progressing faster than ever: “What we’re seeing is that newer food banks are leapfrogging what [is seen as] the ‘normal’ evolution for a food bank,” said Moon. “Traditionally, a decade of maturation has been needed. In Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, organizations are growing much, much faster.” One of GFN’s key contributions to this growth is the Food Bank Incubator Program, which started in 2019 to accelerate the development of new food banks in regions where food insecurity is especially acute by providing context-specific technical support, mentoring, and partnership opportunities.
- We continue to learn and improve as an organization: Leaning on our 15-year history, GFN provided services and funding quickly and efficiently, helping food banks rise to the challenges of the pandemic. “We focused on catalytic financing and smart capital-intensive investment,” said Moon. “We concentrated our technical assistance in areas we have seen pay dividends—like specific training for building a strong Board of Directors,” said Moon. “And as we build on our body of work, we’re able to help bring more and more partners to the table for food banks. But at the end of the day, the success is due to food bank leadership and personnel.”
“A Look Back at GFN’s Strategic Plan” is a series that examines the impact of our current strategic plan over the last three years. Stay tuned for our next piece, which dives into our second strategic objective, strengthening food banks.