Owensboro Food Hubformerly GRCFW
Owensboro Food Hub · formerly GRCFW

More food for the pantries that feed our neighbors.

We bring donated and purchased food into the region and keep local pantries, churches, soup kitchens and schools supplied, so more of it reaches family tables.

Give food or funds Become a Community Partner

Need food for your family? We supply pantries rather than giving out food directly. To find food near you, call 2-1-1.

Why we exist

Truckloads of food pass Owensboro by. We're changing that.

About 18,500 of our neighbors in Daviess County face food insecurity. Nearly 70 pantries and meal sites already serve about 165,000 meals a month. But the region has nowhere to store donated fresh and frozen food in bulk, so truckloads of protein, fruit and vegetables go somewhere else.

Our vision
Eliminate food insecurity in Owensboro and Daviess County.
Our mission
Supply enough donated food to local pantries and kitchens to feed every neighbor facing food insecurity.
Video What the Food Hub does Watch on YouTube
How we got here

Seven years in the making

Owensboro Food Hub began at a United Way hunger committee table in 2019. Every step since has worked on the same gap: Owensboro had nowhere to store donated food in bulk, so truckloads went elsewhere.

  1. 2019–2020 United Way Hunger Relief Steering Committee

    Defined the food insecurity problem in Owensboro and Daviess County, and created the Awareness, Access and Advocacy teams.

  2. 2020–2021 United Way Hunger Access Team

    Developed “nodes of distribution” for local donated food and built the first database of local pantries and kitchens.

  3. 2020–2022 United Way Pandemic hunger relief

    Brainstormed practical ways to keep food moving to neighbors during the pandemic.

  4. 2021 United Way Pantry and kitchen leaders meet

    Brought local pantry and kitchen leaders together for the first time, and named the need: temperature-controlled storage.

  5. 2022 United Way Cold storage grants

    Wrote and approved $2,000 grants so 30 pantries and kitchens could add refrigerators and freezers.

  6. 2022–2024 GRCFW A warehouse takes shape

    Formed a team to build a temperature-controlled warehouse that can hold pallet quantities of donated food.

  7. 2025 GRCFW A site, and a council

    Secured the Clark Distributing site at 4th and Leitchfield. The Food Security Council begins meeting, carrying the Awareness, Advocacy and Access work forward.

  8. Oct 2026 GRCFW $4.2 million raised

    Surpassed our $4.1 million campaign goal, and counting, funding the building and the first three years of operations. From here, every new gift buys food.

  9. Summer 2026 GRCFW Food starts moving

    A smaller first distribution of corn put the partner pickup process to work.

  10. Oct 29, 2026 GRCFW Limited distribution pilot begins

    The first pilot distribution moved 27,033 pounds of protein to 10 Community Partners in a single morning.

  11. Nov 10, 2026 Owensboro Food Hub A new name: Owensboro Food Hub

    GRCFW (Green River Community Food Warehouse) becomes Owensboro Food Hub, about 25 Community Partners strong.

  12. Next Owensboro Food Hub Coming home to East 4th Street

    Another distribution in early December, then the move into the Clark building once Clark relocates.

October 29, 2026

One morning, ten Community Partners restocked

Our first large distribution moved protein made right here in Owensboro by Specialty Foods Group to 10 Community Partners before lunch. Every case was counted and signed for, and every case distributed made its way to hungry neighbors through our partners' own pantries and kitchens.

27,033
pounds of protein
10
Community Partners supplied
50+
volunteers
4 hrs
from pickup to the last partner
  1. Pickup appointment at Specialty Foods Group in Owensboro
  2. Both trucks loaded
  3. At New Life Church, ahead of the volunteers
  4. Partners pick up in 15-minute appointments
  5. Every partner supplied

Thank you to Ohio County Food Pantry and God's House of Hope for the temperature-controlled trucks and forklift, to Ohio County Food Pantry's forklift crew, to the Kentucky Wesleyan College coaches and student-athletes, to New Life Church for hosting, and to OBryan Implement for storing our forklifts. A second distribution of similar size is planned for early December.

Owensboro Food Hub at the center, with six kinds of Community Partners around it Food Hubfood comes in here Pantries Churches Soup kitchens Schools Shelters Senior programs
How the Food Hub works

We're the hub. Our partners are the spokes.

We don't hand food to the public ourselves. We keep the people who do supplied, so their shelves stay full and they can reach more neighbors.

  1. 1
    Food comes in

    Donated and purchased food from farms, grocers, manufacturers and regional donors.

  2. 2
    We sort it out

    We match each load to the partners who need it and schedule pickups by appointment.

  3. 3
    Partners hand it out

    Community Partners give the food free to neighbors through their own pantries, kitchens and programs.

  4. 4
    Everyone sees the impact

    Partners report what they distribute each month, so the community can see where food is going and where needs aren't met.

Community Partners

The spokes of the wheel

Any pantry, church, soup kitchen, school or group that gives food to the public can become a Community Partner.

Our goal: every pantry and meal site in the county, supplied by the Food Hub. That's what makes the network work. The more partners we supply, the more food reaches neighbors, and the clearer the picture of where needs are met.

About 25 Community Partners today, of the roughly 70 pantries and meal sites the Food Security Council has counted.

Bellevue Baptist ChurchBeverly's Hearty SliceBlessed Mother ChurchChurch AliveCrossroads Community ServicesDaniel Pitino ShelterFirst Christian ChurchGod's House of HopeHelp OfficeImmaculate ChurchJust PeopleMidwest Food BankNeblett CenterNew Life ChurchOhio County Food PantryOwensboro Community & Technical College (OCTC)Our Lady of Hope ChurchOur Lady of Lourdes ChurchSalvation ArmySenior CenterSt. Benedict'sSt. Joseph and PaulSt. Pius TenthSt. SebastianSt. Stephen's CathedralThird Baptist Church

What partnering looks like

  • Receive donated food from the Food Hub at no cost.
  • Pick up by appointment at each distribution.
  • Give the food free to neighbors in need, never sell it, and return anything left over.
  • Each month, share either the total pounds you gave out or how many people you served.

That monthly report is how the Food Hub and the Food Security Council see where food is going across the county.

To join, email info@owensborofoodhub.org

“What we actually do is connect food that's available with the pantries and kitchens that get it to families. That isn't a warehouse. It's a hub.”

Steve Innes, founder and executive director
Coming home to East 4th Street

A home for food that passes us by today

We'll move into the Clark Distributing building at 1222 East 4th Street once Clark relocates. Renovated with frozen storage, it will let us accept truckloads of fresh and frozen food that bypass the region today.

Refrigeratedproduce and dairy
Frozenmeat and protein
Dryshelf-stable goods

Once it's running, the facility is expected to add more than 215,000 meal equivalents a month to what local pantries can provide.

Volunteer

Lend a hand

Getting food to our neighbors takes many hands. Individuals and groups are welcome, from teams and classes to congregations and coworkers. Join the volunteer list and we'll let you know when we need help.

Join the volunteer list
Give

The building is funded. Now every dollar buys food.

We’ve raised $4.2 million, and counting, surpassing our $4.1 million goal. That covers the facility and our first three years of operating costs. Every new gift goes straight to food for our Community Partners.

Give funds

Give online

Give once or every month by card, bank transfer or wallet. You can dedicate a gift in honor or in memory of someone.

If the form doesn't load, give on Donorbox.

Give by mail

Mail a check

Make your check payable to GRCFW and mail it to:

GRCFW
PO Box 1061
Owensboro, KY 42302
Give food

Donate food

Farms, grocers, manufacturers and distributors with surplus food: we'll arrange pickup and get it to partners while it's fresh.

info@owensborofoodhub.org

Gifts are tax-deductible. Receipts carry our legal name, Green River Community Food Warehouse, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Mission Supporters

Thank you

The governments, foundations, businesses and hundreds of individual donors who made the building and the first years of food possible.

  • City of Owensboro
  • Daviess County Fiscal Court
  • Commonwealth of Kentucky
  • Hager Educational Foundation
  • Public Life Foundation of Owensboro
  • Marilyn & William Young Foundation
  • Owensboro Health
  • Greenwell Foundation
  • Yeager Foundation
  • Impact 100 Owensboro
  • Green River Area Community Foundation
  • First Christian Church
  • Atmos Energy
  • Boardwalk Pipeline
  • Southern Star Gas Pipeline
  • Specialty Foods Group
  • Glenmore Gifts
Board of directors

Who leads Owensboro Food Hub

Volunteers who bring decades of experience in food supply, pantries, business and community service.

Steve InnesFounder and executive director
Read bio

Steve retired after a 30-year career at Unilever, where he served on the North American board and led supply chain. He earlier managed the Ragu plant in Owensboro and serves on the boards of food-industry startups. He founded the Food Hub and convenes the Food Security Council.

Rebecca BairdManager, Ohio County Food Pantry
Read bio

Rebecca has volunteered at the Ohio County Food Pantry since 2010 and has managed it since 2017. She retired in 2023 as human resources manager at the Green River District Health Department and now works part time at the Ohio County Public Library.

Doug EberhartBusiness and executive coach
Read bio

Doug spent about 20 years as a CEO and has worked as a turnaround specialist. A nationally certified trainer and facilitator, he has trained more than 300 executives.

Jerry MorrisRetired president and CEO, Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline
Read bio

Jerry retired as president and CEO of Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline after 39 years in the natural gas industry. A Murray State graduate, he has held many civic leadership roles in Owensboro.

Andrea RobinsonCEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Indiana
Read bio

Andrea has led Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Indiana since January 2026. She previously spent seven years as executive director of OASIS, a domestic violence shelter program, and brings a background in law enforcement, child welfare and criminology.

Keith SharberVice chair, Kentucky Wesleyan College Board of Trustees
Read bio

Keith came to Owensboro in 1979 as a radio newsman and became news director at WOMI/WBKR. He spent more than 30 years at Canteen Service Company, later as an owner and partner. He has announced Kentucky Wesleyan basketball since 2012, is vice chair of its Board of Trustees and chairs its Generations Capital Campaign.

Drew WatsonCFP® professional and private wealth advisor
Read bio

Drew leads a 27-member wealth management team across six locations and has been named a Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisor and to Barron's list of top financial advisors. He holds a finance degree from the University of Notre Dame and serves on the Finance Committee at Immaculate Parish.

In the news

Coverage of our work

Stories before November 2026 use our former name, GRCFW (Green River Community Food Warehouse).

Media inquiries: media@owensborofoodhub.org

An Access partner of the Food Security Council

The Food Security Council of Owensboro / Daviess County brings pantries, schools, healthcare, churches, government and business to one table. Owensboro Food Hub is its anchor Access partner.

Visit the Council