John van Hengel

John van Hengel
Born(1923-02-21)February 21, 1923
Waupun, Wisconsin
DiedOctober 5, 2005(2005-10-05) (aged 82)
Phoenix, Arizona
Alma materLawrence College
Known forFather of Food Banking
Children2
AwardsSee honors and awards

John Arnold van Hengel (February 21, 1923 – October 5, 2005) was a grassroots activist and entrepreneur credited as being the "Father of Food Banking".[1] In 1967, van Hengel founded St. Mary's Food Bank, the world's first food bank in Phoenix, Arizona. He would later go on to create Feeding America, helping to spread the food banking concept across the United States, and eventually the rest of the world.[2][3][4][5]

  1. ^ Sullivan, Patricia (2005-10-08). "John Van Hengel Dies at 83; Founded First Food Bank in 1967". Washington Post. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  2. ^ Reinhart, Mary (2003-04-13). "Food Bank pioneer van Hengel remains on job". East Valley Tribune. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  3. ^ McPherson, Christopher Geoffrey (November 1987). "AZ MVP John Van Hengel". Arizona Living Magazine: 68.
  4. ^ Martz, Christopher (December 2003). "Food Bank Godfather". The Rainbow: 23–27.
  5. ^ Foodbanking.org. "Global Food Banking Network Annual Report" (PDF). Retrieved 1 May 2013.[permanent dead link‍]