History of Our Food Banks
The Food Service Center, Inc. - Sioux Falls Food Bank organizational history
In 1975, the Sioux Falls Ministerial Association met to discuss forming a community food pantry. Their objective: to have a centralized place where those in need of food would go to receive groceries. The churches would support the pantry and provide for those in need with donations of food and money.
In 1982, the group partnered with America’s Second Harvest (now Feeding America) and changed its name to The Food Service Center, Inc. Due to a combination of local donations and an allocation of America’s Second Harvest donations, the organization continued to grow and thrive in its mission to relieve hunger in the region. In that first year of operation, The Food Service Center, Inc. distributed 82,273 to some 20 local organizations in Minnehaha County.
Starting in 1991, renewed efforts were made to find organizations in eastern South Dakota and find more resources for food donations. The increased donations and discovery of organizations willing to serve led to the building of a new warehouse in 1994 at 3511 North 1st Street., where it has since remained.
Since its humble beginning in 1975, the Food Service Center, Inc. (now Feeding South Dakota) has grown to an organization that in 2009 distributed over 9 million pounds of food in 57 counties of South Dakota.
Black Hills Regional Food Bank, Inc. - Rapid City Food Bank organizational history
In June of 1982 a committee of Rapid City business and social program leaders explored setting up a non-profit “Food Bank” that would distribute primarily donated food to agencies serving needy people. At that time 46 food banks were operating in larger cities across the country. In 1983, Alyce McKay, Eleanor Frost and Linda Lea Viken formed a non-profit corporation named Black Hills Regional Food Bank, Inc. With a humble beginning, the Black Hills Regional Food Bank initially distributed food out of a garage. By December of 1983, the Food Bank had moved to the National Guard Camp.
Although the Food Bank relocated several times over the years, its mission of service always remained consistent. Finally, in December of 1995 the Food Bank bought a 14,000 square foot facility at 814 N. Maple Ave., where it has remained for 15 years. By 1995, the Food Bank was distributing 1,344,539 pounds of food and served 150 agencies.
In 1997 the Food Bank became an affiliate of America’s Second Harvest, distributing 1,690,546 pounds of food to 200 agencies and serving 9 counties covering 19,321 square miles in South Dakota.
