Our History

The Interfaith Action Food Bank was formed in 1982 as a result of the vision of several servant leaders in the Columbus, GA community who saw the need for a centralized, consolidated food source for disadvantaged families and individuals.

TIMELINE


1982 – Interfaith Action Food Bank formed and first warehouse was 800 sq. ft. and located on Oates Ave. in Columbus, Ga. 

1983 – The first load of food was delivered to the Interfaith Food Bank and weighed 1,469 pounds. 

1992 – Between 1982 and 1992, there were 20 more moves to larger locations before moving to the current warehouse on Coca-Cola Blvd. in east Columbus. 

1994 – We became an affiliate of the Second Harvest National Food Bank Network 

1995 – First Kids Café site was opened at Booker T. Washington apartments in Columbus, Ga. This was a partnership with the Columbus Housing Authority, Parks and Recreation, and Interfaith Food Bank. 

1997 – We changed our name to Second Harvest Food Bank of the Chattahoochee Valley because of our association with the national network. 

2001 – We launched the first Mobile Pantry which distributed food boxes to our rural southern counties. We also completed the renovation of our warehouse that included a new food sorting area, walk-in cooler, and freezer, and a full-line, 3,000 sq. ft. commercial kitchen. 

2009 – With the national network changing its name to Feeding America, our Board of Directors voted to change our name to Feeding the Valley, Inc. 

2014 – We opened a 24,000 sq. ft. satellite warehouse in LaGrange, Ga. to better serve our northern counties of Troup, Harris, Meriwether, and Talbot. 

2015 and 2016 – Feeding the Valley passed its first AIB inspection for food safety in both the Columbus and LaGrange warehouse locations. 

2016 – Feeding the Valley breaks ground to build a new state-of-the-art warehouse facility in east Columbus, GA that will serve as it’s central headquarters. 

Today, we operate from our central 31,000 sq. ft. warehouse on Flat Rock Road in Columbus, Ga., and distribute food for families to 17 counties in Georgia and one in  Alabama. 

2017 – March 31, we celebrated our Grand Opening at our new, state-of-the-art warehouse at 6744 Flat Rock Road, Midland, Georgia. 

2018 – We celebrated our 35th Anniversary with a Farm to Fork dinner and honored some of our founders. 

2019 – We established a distribution center in Cuthbert, Ga. to better serve the counties of Randolph, Clay, Stewart, Webster, Schley, and Quitman. 

2019 – We established a temporary distribution center in Albany, Ga. to better serve the counties of Dougherty, Lee, Calhoun, and Terrell. 

2020– A milestone year for all food banks across the nation as we faced the COVID-19 pandemic. 

2021– We purchased a 35,018 sq. Ft. Warehouse at 1706 Ledo Road in Albany, Ga. to become our permanent distribution facility serving Dougherty, Lee, Calhoun, and Clay Counties. 

2022– March 24, we celebrated a Ribbon Cutting ceremony with a special luncheon at our Albany warehouse.  Feeding America CEO, Claire Babineaux-Fontenot was our guest speaker.    

2022 – The Georgia State Department of Community Affairs made grant opportunities available for Georgia food bank capital projects.  Two grants were awarded to Feeding the Valley.  One for cold and frozen storage at our Albany warehouse and one for our Midland warehouse for cold and frozen storage expansion and to build a new Volunteer Center.  

2023 – January, our cold and frozen storage units were completed in Albany and became operational. March 9, 2023, was the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the expansion project at our Columbus warehouse.