A food bank is a place where food, both non-perishable goods and perishable goods like fresh produce, frozen items, and baker products, are offered to nonprofit agencies for distribution to people who may not be able to afford food. These agencies are typically non-profit organizations or run as part of a church or community outreach group. A food bank is like the wholesale arm of the food distribution system for those living in poverty. Other agencies are the retail arm and serve people directly. The term "food bank" is not protected by law, however, and is sometimes used by these agencies directly serving those in need of food.Food banks often get the food from companies or supermarkets with unsaleable stock, and also from donations from the general public, especially around holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. In addition, the US Government and state governments often contract with food banks to distribute USDA surplus commodities. In addition, food banks who are members of America's Second Harvest, the nation's food bank network, are able to take advantage of relationships with major manufacturers. Instead of calling the more than 200 food banks across the country, a manufacturer with several semiloads of product to donate can make just one phone call.The first food bank was St. Mary's Food Bank, started in 1967 in Phoenix, Arizona.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The checks to Temple University really were in the mail for $5 million. It was a total surprise for the school to receive the anonymous donations, which arrived in a pair of nondescript envelopes sent via U.S. mail from a bank in Arizona, said Stuart Sullivan.. Temple is in Philadelphia and has about 35,000 students.

It was a total surprise for the school to receive the anonymous donations, which arrived in a pair of nondescript envelopes sent via U.S. mail from a bank in Arizona, said Temple's senior vice president for institutional advancement. One envelope contained a $1 million bank check for the university to use however it chooses, the other for $4M...

"I'm seeing it as largely the result of being in a rapid-growth state," said Tracy Clark, an economist with the JPMorgan Chase Economic Outlook Center at Arizona State University's W.P. Carey School of Business. "These types of activities are in demand for people who can't establish permanent relations with a bank."

The housing slowdown has claimed another victim in Scottsdale's 1st National Bank of Arizona, which is closing its retail mortgage lending activities and laying off 35 people in Arizona. The private bank will retain its focus on small-business customers and begin brokering mortgage applications from customers to other lenders

Community Bank of Arizona has hired Stephen R. Curley as director and president.