A food bank is a non-profit, charitable organization that gathers, prepares, and distributes food to those who have difficulty purchasing enough to avoid hunger, usually through intermediaries like food pantries and soup kitchens. Food banks act as food storehouses and distribution facilities for other agencies working to end hunger and usually do not give out food directly to people facing hunger themselves. They are different from food pantries, which are individual sites that distribute bags or boxes of food directly to those in need who reside in a specified area. When supplied with food from a food bank, pantries are able to serve many more people from their surrounding area. Food banks are usually non-profit organizations that rely on donations from individuals, corporations, and government agencies. They collect food from the food industry, food drives, and other sources, inventory and store it, and distribute it to agencies such as food pantries, soup kitchens, Kids Cafes, and shelters that provide food directly to individuals in need. Food banks make it easy for agencies to obtain nutritious food at low cost in the quantities they need for their clients.