Community Spotlight: Flagstaff Family Food Center
Guest blog by Ethan Amos and the team at Flagstaff Family Food Center
Expanding Our Reach: Feeding Northern Arizona Communities
At the Flagstaff Family Food Center, our mission is “Neighbors Feeding Neighbors, Everyday.”. To execute this, we offer a range of food assistance programs, including food box distributions, daily sack lunches, and hot dinners served at our community kitchen, and mobile neighborhood food box deliveries that bring resources directly to where they’re needed most.
The need for food has skyrocketed since the pandemic, and our community meal program provides an example of this. In 2019, we served 241,000 community meals, and in 2024, we served 483,000 meals through the same program. Additionally, our food box program has experienced significant growth, as we served over 78,000 food boxes—an incredible testament to the dedication of our team.
Our impact spans multiple communities. In addition to several distribution sites throughout Flagstaff, we operate mobile programs in Winslow, Leupp, and Williams—ensuring that rural and remote neighborhoods receive regular access to nutritious food. These programs are a lifeline for many, and we are proud to serve such a diverse and resilient region.
Our partnership with the local faith community has enabled us to keep addressing the need for food. Notably, the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Flagstaff has consistently donated to support our mission for 16 years, and in 2024, members from the church contributed over 100 hours of volunteer work.
This year our reach expanded through an invaluable partnership with Mike Scott, member of Shepherd of the Hills and Past President of Grand Canyon Food Pantry (GCFP). His guidance and persistent advocacy enabled our acquisition of the GCFP, extending regular distributions to families in Tusayan and Grand Canyon Village. What began as a collaborative conversation is now a fully stocked outpost, operated in concert with our Flagstaff headquarters and stewarded by canyon area volunteers who understand the region’s unique logistics.
Together with our community partners, we continue to build a stronger, more food-secure northern Arizona—one meal, one box, and one neighborhood at a time.
2024 Northern Arizona Food Equity Report
Explore our comprehensive 2024 Northern Arizona Food Equity Report, which examines the challenges and opportunities in creating a fairer and more accessible food system for all. It highlights key insights, data, and actionable strategies to promote food justice and equity in communities across northeastern Arizona.