The Food Bank staff and board members live by six core values to effectively and efficiently serve those who are food insecure in our 34-county service area: teamwork, respect, compassion, dedication, fun, and integrity.
While every one of these core values is key to the work of the Food Bank, integrity is perhaps the most important. We have our core values posted on a wall in our new Raleigh facility and when you walk down a main hallway, this is what you see:
Integrity means food safety
It’s very fitting that this value stands out because above all else. Our facilities must meet the highest standards to store, sort, and distribute more than 60 million pounds of food a year. Our employees are highly trained in all these standards, and make sure we pass on those standards to our partners – who ultimately distribute the food to members of their community.
The Food Bank is proud that all six branches of our organization are AIB (American Institute of Baking) certified. AIB’s mission is to empower the food industry to elevate their food safety and production capabilities. This is a certification every food bank in the Feeding America network must receive, and each of our branches will be inspected every 24 months to ensure standards and procedures are being followed.
Raleigh Branch has earned the coveted AIB banner!
Integrity means donor trust
We wouldn’t be able to maintain these standards or distribute this enormous amount of food each year without the support of our donors. And it is of the utmost importance to Food Bank CENC that we are excellent stewards of the gifts we are given.
As such, we are proud to be a Charity Navigator four-star charity – the highest rating they award. Charity Navigator‘s rating system is based on two areas of a charity’s performance; Financial Health and Accountability & Transparency. The Food Bank also has a platinum rating from Guidestar, which recognizes charities for their commitment to transparency, not only regarding finances, but all business operations.
To say all the above is to affirm our commitment to integrity in all aspects of our operation. We cannot and will not endanger what we ultimately provide to hundreds of thousands of people in central and eastern North Carolina – nutritious food and the peace of mind it provides.
-Jennifer Caslin, Marketing & Project Manager
