Contribute with Confidence

We know there are many organizations competing for your charitable dollar. We have a deep respect for our donors. It is important to us that your contributions are put to good use. Thank you for your trust and for joining us in our work meeting the needs of those in our community who are counting on us as they battle serious illnesses. Because of you, our neighbors in need are able to receive food and nutrition education, at no cost to them, as they battle HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses. We are sincerely grateful. 

We are committed to the highest level of service to our clients and the highest standard of stewardship of the contributions of our staff, volunteers and donors. As reported in Food & Friends’ most recent Form 990, 81.1% of donated funds are used for direct client costs. This far exceeds the 65% minimum program expenses suggested by the Better Business Bureau and demonstrates to you that we take our fiduciary and governance responsibilities very seriously. Charity Navigator, a nonprofit watchgroup, gives us a 97% score in Accountability & Transparency.

IRS Form 990 Facts

• Food & Friends' annual budget for 2015 is more than $9 million;
• 81.1% of budget supports program expenses;
• 3.5% of budget supports administrative expenses;
• 15.4% of budget supports fundraising and development expenses;

Breakdown of Food & Friends Revenue Streams (based on 2013 Audit):

• Public Funding: 32.4%
• Individuals: 31.2%
• Special Events: 15.6%
• Corporations and Foundations: 12.9%
• Capital Campaign: 4.9%
• Other: 3%

We hire the best talent and work hard to retain staff:

• 52 staff members;
• We leverage the support of more than 10,000 volunteers each year to stretch every dollar we raise;
• We take professional development seriously and have an ambitious staff training program. Food & Friends’ staff attend dozens of local trainings and webinars each year to keep their professional skills sharp and up-to-date. Food & Friends also pays the dues for several staff to join relevant professional associations;
• Our Executive Director, Craig Shniderman, has led Food & Friends for over 20 years;
• Results of our investment in staff retention are tangible:
• 49% of staff have worked at Food & Friends at least 5 years;
• 23% of staff have worked for Food & Friends for at least 10 years;
• 11% of staff have more than 15 years tenure;

You, our donors, are a critical part of our mission. It’s your dollars that keep us going and enable us to serve a need in the community. So you have the right to know how your gift is used. You can learn more about the impact of your gift through our monthly enewsletter, ChopTalk publication, tax returns, audited statements and annual report. We believe in transparency and accountability, which is why all these reports are provided for your directly on our website. 

If you have any questions about the impact of our services and how your money is put to good use, please contact our Director of Development, Pat Cornell, at pcornell@foodandfriends.org or (202) 269-6970.