St. Mary’s Food Bank founded National Food Bank Day to recognize the outstanding contributions of food banks around the country and to commemorate the establishment of St. Mary’s Food Bank by its founder John van Hengel in 1967. John van Hengel came up with the idea of grocery rescue and food banking and the idea spread throughout the country making St. Mary’s Food Bank the very first in the world! In 2017, St. Mary’s celebrates its 50th anniversary!
The Registrar at National Day Calendar proclaimed National Food Bank Day to be observed annually on the first Friday of September beginning in 2017.