Food bank or food pantry? 
The difference…and the alliance.

You have probably heard of a food pantry. And since you are visiting our web site, you have obviously heard of a food bank.

But what’s the difference?

At the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, we solicit, store and distribute food and other essential items to network partners in eight Northeast Ohio counties: Carroll, Holmes, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Tuscarawas and Wayne. These network partners operate more than 600 food pantries, hot meal sites, shelters and other hunger-relief programs in the neighborhoods and communities where people need food.

The Foodbank is the storehouse for millions of pounds of food and other products that go out to the community. The pantry functions as the arms that reach out to that community directly.

Food banks and food pantries—they are not the same. But they share the same commitment. At the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, we are proud of our partnership with food pantries—and many other organizations—who act with us to carry out our mission to Feed People and Fight Hunger.