Philanthropic food assistance in high-income countries: Lessons from Israel’s food-aid network

Food insecurity (FI) in high-income countries (HICs) is increasingly addressed by philanthropic food-aid organizations that operate with limited state oversight. Such is the case in Israel, a high-income country that faces persistent FI and social inequality, but has never conducted a comprehensive mapping of its philanthropic food-aid network. This study is the first national-level analysis of food-aid NGOs in Israel. We evaluated their distribution, purpose, scale, and alignment with need, using administrative data from Guidestar, Israel’s official NGO database, and from the country’s two largest food banks. We analyze the system through the lenses of effectiveness, equity, and efficiency – the three key dimensions used globally to assess food-aid systems. We identified 2289 active food-aid NGOs, with exponential growth over the past two decades. Most organizations operate locally, provide in-kind food rather than vouchers, and serve the general public rather than specific target groups. The majority are affiliated with the Jewish religious sector, while Arab communities, despite significantly higher rates of FI, remain underrepresented. Geographic disparities are evident, with major gaps in low-resource regions, particularly among Bedouin populations in the south. Financial and volunteer investment in the sector is substantial. Little data is available concerning the extent to which the network ensures effectiveness, efficiency, and equity. Thus, our study raises critical questions about the expanding role of private actors and their ability to fulfill public welfare functions in Israel. Moreover, it contributes empirical evidence to an ongoing global debate about whether philanthropic food-aid networks complement or actually displace state responsibilities. We highlight the need for high-income welfare states to assume responsibility for regulation, transparency, and strategic integration of food-aid systems into broader food and social policy frameworks.