The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama is central Alabama’s largest hunger-relief organization, serving Birmingham and a 12-county region through more than 230 partner agencies: soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, and children’s programs. Launched in 1982 with a grant from the Greater Birmingham Foundation, it provided nearly 20 million meals in 2025, distributing 24 million pounds of food. Nicole Williams serves as CEO. In central Alabama, roughly one in five children lives without reliable access to food.
The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama sources food at scale and distributes it through more than 230 partner agencies across a 12-county region centered on Birmingham. In 2025 it moved enough food for nearly 20 million meals. Beyond distribution, it runs children’s feeding programs and works to reach the deep, persistent food insecurity in central Alabama, where a striking share of both adults and children lack reliable food access.
Nicole Williams serves as CEO of the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, leading the region’s largest hunger-relief organization. She succeeded Brett Meredith, who had led the food bank earlier in the decade. Under her, the food bank reached a 2025 total of nearly 20 million meals across its 12-county footprint.
The service area is Birmingham and 12 surrounding central Alabama counties. The region carries deep food insecurity: by the food bank’s figures, hundreds of thousands of people and tens of thousands of children in central Alabama live without reliable access to food, roughly one in five children. Birmingham’s urban core and the rural counties around it both contribute to that need.
Yes. The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama is a registered 501(c)(3) and a Feeding America member, operating since 1982. Donors can review its financials through Charity Navigator and GuideStar. Bulk buying and donated food mean a gift produces many meals.
Donations and volunteer shifts run through feedingal.org. Volunteers sort and pack food and help at distributions, and cash gifts go furthest because of the food bank’s purchasing power.
The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama covers the Birmingham region, while the Heart of Alabama Food Bank covers the Montgomery region and 35 counties through affiliates. For anyone in Birmingham or central Alabama, the Community Food Bank is the lead organization.
230+ agencies across 12 central Alabama counties.
Feeding programs in a region with high child food insecurity.
Food brought into underserved communities.
Food assistance for older adults on fixed incomes.
Sources: Community Food Bank of Central Alabama website (feedingal.org), Bhamwiki, and WBRC reporting on the organization’s 2025 distribution totals. We are not affiliated with Community Food Bank of Central Alabama and receive no compensation for this listing. Spotted an error? [email protected]
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