Our Mission: To lead our community to feed the hungry and conquer the cycle of need

On Thanksgiving Eve in 1969, nine-year-old Bobby Ellis died of malnutrition in his Louisville home. Our stunned Kentuckiana community took action and created Dare to Care Food Bank, to ensure that no one in our community lacks enough food to live an active, healthy life.

Dare to Care partners with local social service agencies, such as food pantries, shelters and emergency kitchens to distribute food to our community. In the past year, Dare to Care and our partners provided 19.6 million meals to our community.

Redefining What it Means to be a Food Bank

We believe access to nutritious food is a basic human right but at Dare to Care it means more than just getting food out to the masses. Dare to Care is committed to fighting hunger in a way that acknowledges dignity, equity and purpose.

Stay connected as we redefine food banking through the following initiatives:

• Listening to our neighbors – There’s power in the stories and experiences of our neighbors impacted by hunger. We must listen to the needs and concerns of those experiencing hunger in our community. 
• Advocating together – We recognize that hunger is linked to inequitable systems that harm vulnerable populations. This is why we must advocate for policies that support our community. These policies include the Farm Bill, less restrictions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and advocating for a livable wage for all. 
• Equitable approach – Equity acknowledges hunger is not a one-size fits all scenario. Everyone has a unique story and experience as it relates to hunger. This means we must look at potential barriers or gaps in the ways we serve. We’re moving towards a more inclusive approach that looks at dates and hours of operations for food assistance, geographical locations of food pantries, language translations, and dietary restrictions such as diabetic friendly foods, Kosher and Halal options to ensure everyone is served in a way that meets their needs. 

Dare to Care Food Bank is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the Internal Revenue Service. View a copy of our IRS Form 990 and Audited Financial Statements.

View a copy of our most recent annual report and newsletter.