During the Great Depression, Kip Tiernan’s grandmother opened her kitchen to feed people in need. At that time people would mark an “X” on the sidewalk outside their homes to signify a safe place to get help. Kip saw firsthand how simple acts of kindness could help people through dark times.

In 1974, Kip started to distribute food from her station wagon to those in need and later founded what we now know as The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB). From these humble beginnings, we have grown into the leading hunger-relief agency in New England and one of the largest in the country.

Today GBFB provides over 109 million pounds of healthy food each year to more than 600 distribution sites across Eastern Massachusetts.

We continue to pay tribute to our history with an “X” at the main entrance of our lobby, indicating that GBFB remains a safe place to get help.

Through the compassion and commitment of our supporters, staff, partners, and volunteers, The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) takes a bold, innovative and multi-pronged approach to achieve our mission.

Our Mission: End Hunger Here

GBFB is the largest hunger-relief organization in New England and among the largest food banks in the country. Last year, we distributed 117 million pounds of nutritious food to people who struggle to have enough to eat. We are committed to increasing our food distribution to provide three meals a day to every person in need in Eastern Massachusetts while supporting healthy lives and healthy communities.

The Greater Boston Food Bank is a member of Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization.

Through compassion and action, together we can End Hunger Here.

Our Values

Team Member Wellbeing
We recognize that all aspects of team member wellbeing are fundamental to achieving our mission.

Teamwork
We foster teamwork through communication, accountability and collaboration because every team member is essential to our success.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
We commit to embracing our differences, promoting inclusivity, and providing equal opportunities.

Respect
In communication and in action, we practice kindness, patience and appreciation of all.

Trust
We build trust by assuming good intent and conducting ourselves in a professional manner in all our interactions.

Our Eastern Massachusetts Community
We are committed to the prosperity of our community, a vibrant region composed of many stakeholders with different backgrounds and lived experiences.

Our Goal: Three Meals a Day

The map below features GBFB’s town-by-town progress toward our goal of distributing enough food to provide three meals per day for each food-insecure individual in Eastern Massachusetts.

The Greater Boston Food Bank

Team Leaderboard

Team Members