1967 The food bank concept begins in Phoenix, Arizona, when John van Hengel, a retired businessman, asks local grocers to donate excess food to community feeding sites rather than throwing it away. He begins St. Mary’s Food Bank.

1979 Second Harvest incorporates, uniting the handful of food banks cropping up across the country into a network.

1982 Mark Patton, a volunteer at Community Soup Kitchen in New Haven, begins Connecticut Food Bank with a desk and chair provided by Christian Community Action.

On April 14, the Articles of Incorporation are signed for Connecticut Food Bank.

In July, Connecticut Food Bank begins distributing food to 70 agencies throughout Connecticut from a 2,000 square-foot warehouse at the corner of Ferry and Water Streets in New Haven. By the end of the year, Connecticut Food Bank distributes 400,000 pounds of food.

1983 Connecticut Food Bank moves into a 10,000 square-foot warehouse at the corner of James and Water Streets in New Haven.

1984 Connecticut Food Bank becomes a certified affiliate of Second Harvest. Nancy Carrington joins Connecticut Food Bank staff as Food Solicitor.

1986 Connecticut Food Bank formalizes relationships with food banks in Bridgeport, Stamford and Waterbury, enabling the organization to more efficiently move food throughout the state.

1987 Five years after founding Connecticut Food Bank, Mark Patton steps down as Executive Director. The Rev. Bob Betts fills the position.

In April, Connecticut Food Bank takes over the helm of the Greater New Haven Walk Against Hunger (right), an awareness and fundraising event for hunger-relief efforts.

1988 Connecticut Food Bank expands distribution further by collaborating with the Gemma E. Moran United Way/Labor Food Center in New London.

1989 Nancy Carrington becomes Executive Director. Also that year, Connecticut Food Bank acquires their fifth (and current) home on Bradley Street in East Haven. After renovations, Connecticut Food Bank has a 20,000 square-foot warehouse with freezer and cooler space.

1990 Connecticut Food Bank’s East Haven warehouse opens a Reclamation Room, a designated area that enables the food bank to inspect and sort products donated from food drives and retail salvage.

1993 Connecticut Food Bank transitions the original Waterbury distribution center into a branch warehouse, where programs from the greater Waterbury area and Litchfield County can shop, decreasing the amount of time food spends in transit.

1994 Connecticut Food Bank establishes the Bill Liddell Award at its annual Donor Recognition Event in honor of long-time volunteer and donor, William A. Liddell, who donated produce from his farm. Over ten years, Mr. Liddell donated more than 104 tons of top-quality fruits and vegetables to Connecticut Food Bank.

1997 Connecticut Food Bank opens an 18,000 square-foot warehouse in Fairfield, which serves the greater Bridgeport area and upper Fairfield County. Now with three warehouses, and distribution centers in New London and Stamford, Connecticut Food Bank serves nearly 500 agencies and programs in six of Connecticut’s eight counties.

1998 Connecticut Food Bank launches Produce for the People, an outreach program to distribute fresh produce directly to grassroots organizations, housing complexes and tenant councils from low-income neighborhoods.

2000 Connecticut Food Bank completes work on the East Haven warehouse, adding 4,000 square feet of space for shopping, and additional refrigeration and freezer units.

2003 Connecticut Food Bank acquires a larger warehouse in Waterbury, boasting an additional 10,000 square feet over the former facility. Connecticut Food Bank also marks the distribution of its one millionth pound of food since the organization was founded.

2004 Connecticut Food Bank’s Food Rescue Operation (FRO) is revitalized with a new dedicated van and driver, who picks up unused prepared food from restaurants, caterers and dining halls throughout New Haven and delivers it to local soup kitchens and shelters five days a week. Nancy Carrington marks her 20th year with Connecticut Food Bank. She has seen the staff of Connecticut Food Bank grow from five to more than 30, member agencies and programs increase from 188 to 650, and food distribution increase from 1.31 million pounds in 1984 to 15.9 million in 2006.

2005 Connecticut Food Bank debuts its Community Pantries program, which serves residents of Housing Authority of New Haven, delivering fresh and frozen foods, meat and produce five days a week to low-income housing sites.

2006 Connecticut Food Bank holds the 30th annual Walk Against Hunger in New Haven, and inaugurates the 1st annual Walk Against Hunger in Waterbury. Together, the events raise $130,000 for the fight against hunger.

Connecticut Food Bank formally launches a new distribution program, the Kids’ BackPack Program, to provide nutritious, kid-friendly food to at-risk children on Fridays so they will have food over the weekends.

Through the new Meat the Need food-acquisition initiative, Connecticut Food Bank collects unsold wholesome meat from Stop & Shop Supermarkets for distribution to member programs.

Connecticut Food Bank also launches its Plant a Row for the Hungry campaign, collecting a ton of fresh produce from home and community gardeners, and local farmers’ markets.

2007 Connecticut Food Bank marks its 25 anniversary in a variety of ways, first by commissioning a new, updated logo, with the design work donated by a local company. Throughout the year, Connecticut Food Bank held an Open House at each warehouse, a number of media breakfasts, and a special 25th Anniversary Gala event at the East Haven headquarters in the fall.