The Heart of Alabama Food Bank, based in Montgomery, covers 35 Alabama counties, serving 12 of them directly and the remaining 23 through four affiliated food banks: West Alabama in Tuscaloosa, East Alabama in Auburn and Opelika, Wiregrass in Dothan, and the Selma Area food bank. That footprint includes some of the most economically distressed counties in the state, across the rural Black Belt. Formerly the Montgomery Area Food Bank, it adopted the Heart of Alabama name in 2023.
The Heart of Alabama Food Bank sources food at scale and distributes it across 35 counties through a two-tier structure: it serves 12 counties directly from Montgomery and supplies the other 23 through four affiliated regional food banks in Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Dothan, and Selma. That hub-and-affiliate model lets it cover a wide rural stretch of the state, including the Black Belt, from a single central organization.
The organization is in a leadership transition. Michael Coleman, who had served as CEO since 2022, and the chief operating officer both departed in 2026, and John Lucas is serving as interim CEO while the board searches for permanent leadership. The change came as the food bank navigated rising demand and the federal food-program shifts affecting food banks nationwide.
The 35-county service area covers central and south Alabama, including Montgomery and a wide rural stretch through the Black Belt, a region named for its dark soil that is also among the poorest in the United States. Distance from grocery stores, limited transportation, and persistent poverty make the food bank and its affiliates a critical resource across these counties.
Yes. The Heart of Alabama Food Bank is a registered 501(c)(3) and a Feeding America member, operating for decades, formerly as the Montgomery Area Food Bank. 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 hafb.org. Volunteers sort and pack food and help at distributions, and cash gifts go furthest because of the food bank’s purchasing power.
The Heart of Alabama Food Bank covers central and south Alabama from Montgomery, including 23 counties through four affiliated food banks, while the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama covers the Birmingham region. For anyone in Montgomery, the Black Belt, or south Alabama, Heart of Alabama is the lead organization.
12 counties served directly from Montgomery.
23 counties served through affiliates in Tuscaloosa, Auburn, Dothan, and Selma.
School and weekend food support for kids at risk of hunger.
Food brought into rural Black Belt communities.
Sources: Heart of Alabama Food Bank website (hafb.org), and 2026 WSFA and WAKA reporting on the leadership transition and the earlier Montgomery Area Food Bank name change. We are not affiliated with Heart of Alabama Food Bank and receive no compensation for this listing. Spotted an error? [email protected]
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