By: Diane Benjamin
This story was inspired by the following article: https://illinoisfamily.org/federal/the-hunger-industrial-complex-part-ii-the-six-figure-charity-racket/
You REALLY need to read that story before continuing.
One excerpt:
When you compare what food-bank executives earn to the work these organizations actually do, the picture that emerges isn’t one of modest, volunteer-driven charity. It’s a professional system of administration and logistics with executive pay that warrants serious scrutiny.
The story covers some food banks in Illinois, but not Midwest Food Bank. Keep reading, it should have.
Ones that were covered:
.
All of these have a 4 Star Ratings in Charity Navigator: https://www.charitynavigator.org/
How does Midwest Food Bank compare? They also have a 4 Star rating. This data is from their IRS Form 990, FY 2024-2025. It was filed in May of 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/412120170/202521349349311302/full
Earning a combined salary of over $300,000 puts Eric Hodel in the top 2% of all individual earners in the U.S.
HOUSEHOLDS (not individuals) earning over $200,000 fall in approximately the top 12% of U.S. household incomes.
From the Midwest Food Bank’s website: https://midwestfoodbank.org/
Every day, people face hard decisions about food and essentials. At Midwest Food Bank, we’re making hunger relief efficient, easy, and free. Our goal is to ensure that accessing support is never complicated or out of reach, so everyone feels cared for and valued.
It is the mission of Midwest Food Bank to share the love of Christ by alleviating hunger and malnutrition and providing disaster relief.
Another Quote from the Illinois Family Institute story:
A Walmart General Manager is the top leader at a facility responsible for billions of dollars in inventory and hundreds of employees. That person earns $218,317, which is at the high end for that role.
Eric Hodel, CEO of Midwest Food Bank, is paid over $100,000 more than a Walmart General Manager. The website states in 2024 “$526 million worth of food and resources” was distributed: PDF page 2 https://midwestfoodbank.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Annual_Report_2024-SP.pdf
Midwest does list operating in 8 states and 2 foreign countries on their website: https://midwestfoodbank.org/who-we-are/
Another excerpt from Midwest Food Bank:
Every Step Guided by Faith, Community, Service, and Integrity
We believe faith, community, service, and integrity are the foundation for lasting impact. These values guide us as a top charity for hunger relief, inspiring trust and generosity as we feed others with compassion and care.
Back to Illinois Family Institute story:
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, several of these officers earn double or triple what comparable private-sector logistics professionals earn, while the rest fall into a compensation range most Americans would never associate with a food charity.
Next time they ask for volunteers, remember they are a charity.
According to OpenTheBooks.com, Midwest Food Bank has received money from Florida, Indiana, Arizona, and this from Illinois taxpayers: https://www.openthebooks.com/search-results/?t=c&F_Name_S=Midwest%20Food%20Bank&F_Year=2025
Final thoughts from the Illinois Family story:
We are not called to go along with that. We are called to something better.
The system has become irretrievably corrupt. It cannot be reformed from within because the people who control it — from Feeding America’s national office to the Feeding Illinois network to the six regional hubs that control the distribution of federal food in this state — have no interest in reform. Reform would require accountability, which means lower salaries, published fee schedules, verified eligibility, and an honest assessment of whether 30 years and billions of dollars annually have actually reduced hunger. They will never allow that honest assessment to happen voluntarily.
Every church-run pantry in America should withdraw from the TEFAP system. Step away from the federal food, the Shared Maintenance Fees, the self-attestation sheets, and the regulations that dictate what you can and cannot ask of the people you’re trying to help.
Return to what worked: every church member shopping for food and bringing it to their pantry for distribution to people who are confirmed to be in genuine need — and who, because the government is no longer standing between you and them, can be offered spiritual encouragement and guidance along with their groceries.
Some churches might find a better solution. But any solution that involves government control of the food your congregation provides is the wrong choice. The hunger industrial complex has taken what the faith community built out of love and turned it into a multi-billion-dollar racket.
It’s time to take it back.
Most government funded NGOs and “charities” suffer from the same issues; lack of accountability, lack of transparency, highly compensated leadership, create little to no tangible public benefits, awash with mission drift, lack controls to ensure actually needy Americans are able to access the program, and often times operate in ways contrary to the spirit or letter of the law.
Keep in mind, the Illinois government executives make much less than the non profit executives, despite controlling billions of dollars government budgets and thousands of employees.
Governor: $230,000
AG: $202,000
Lt Gov: $177,000
SOS: $202,000
Even our Illinois supreme court justices make less money than these “non profit” and “charity” executives, $263,000.
I just showed the info to a long time volunteer for a church associated with the Midwest food bank he said no Midwest food bank person is paid it’s all volunteer. So I showed him the tax form from the central Illinois food bank needless to say he was aghast at what he saw.
Now I understand that paid individuals are needed to run an organization as large as the Midwest food bank but the salaries listed are obscene. Welcome to the world of taxes it’s all free money so spend it like there is no tomorrow.
I think you should double-check the accuracy of all this info. Also, I don’t see anything about MFB in the IFI article, so not sure how that relates? And a Walmart “manager” seems like a lowly job for comparison…
MFB has a VERY solid reputation. Most of their work and money comes from volunteers and private or corporate donations. It’s an amazing organization.
Also, from their site…
“Midwest Food Bank is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, committed to transparency and responsible stewardship. We’re committed to exceptional efficiency, with more than 99% of resources going directly to hunger relief and disaster response. Our leadership and finance teams work faithfully to ensure transparency and accountability at every level.”
Also…
“At Midwest Food Bank, we pledge to be effective in our mission of reaching out to those in need by being good stewards of the funds entrusted to us. We are independently audited yearly, and in the interest of transparency and accountability, Midwest Food Bank shares the following financial documents and information for public access. 99% of every dollar goes directly to serve those in need. Less than 1% goes to administrative cost.
If you have questions about our financial transparency, please contact us.”
You should contact them.
Why? I’m reporting what’s on their tax return!
In my opinion…
Before you slam something good, think about it.
1- that’s really not much of a salary for running something in 8 states and international. How many states and countries does one Walmart manager operate in??
2- I see no relation to the IFI article.
3- “Central IL Foodbank” and others mentioned are not the same entity or related.
IMO, we should be concerned with worse things than a very valuable nfp’s executive earning under $300,000 as a leader of something doing massive good in several states and other countries.
CEOs of charities deserve to be rich. Thanks for playing
I do not know this man in any way, but I am guessing he GIVES AWAY a fair share of his earnings to church, charitable orgs, caring for elderly/ orphans/ unborn babies, that his heart matches his “job” (btw, look at what executives of NON-NFP companies make to see what he “could be” earning if he did not want to lead MFB), that he is not just busy being “rich” (with exception of his being rich in his faith in God!). Maybe I am wrong. Maybe someone else reading this knows if this is true or can chime in with factual info.
Diane, I agree with the majority of your reporting and I appreciate it, but this just looks kind of mean and senseless to me.
Faith is ALL over their website. How much would Jesus demand to be paid to do the same job?
Excuse me if Jesus came to you as a poor illegal immigrant you would call ICE.
Jesus wouldn’t break the law to “immigrate”
I did the story BECAUSE MFT isn’t in the IFI story
Did IFI tell you why MFB wasn’t included?
No, others likely weren’t included either
Well you could get someone like Cystal Able for 1/2 the money but what kind of work would you get from her as she tries to juggle two other jobs? Although more than what most people make. $213K isn’t going to make anyone rich. After taxes, say 30% and all the other taxes going on what does that person end up with, $145K? Still better than most but calling them rich if they have a family of four is a real stretch.
It’s a lot unless eating out constantly is the priority.
@BEAN SOUP
“… $213K isn’t going to make anyone rich. After taxes, say 30% and all the other taxes going on what does that person end up with, $145K?”
You are exactly right! This is not a “rich” person’s salary. Two spouses at our B-N major employers can easily make this much combined… are they “rich”? They might be doing pretty good, but certainly not “rich”. (Especially not with Illinois taxes.🙄)
To think this guy is running something as great as MFB for that same income seems very reasonable to me.
Notice he’s in the top 2% of wage earners? It doesn’t say $213, combined is over $300,000
Where did $213 come from? CEO is over $300,000
Correction… I am sure there are plenty of analyst and management spouses at our major B-N employers making $300,000+ in their households too. And for a LOT LESS actual “work”.
And again, that amount is not so much if the earner has a giving heart and is giving their earnings to also help others.
Tax dollars go to him to redistribute? Brilliant
@ Bean and Susan
Ya’ll are absolutely hilarious. Six figures isn’t rich? What kind of crack are you two smoking? I grew up in a mobile home. With no air conditioning. With hand me down clothes. I always DREAMED of living in a house when I was a kid. Anyone who grew up in a house was rich to me. Yet, “$213k isn’t going to make anyone rich” has to be the stupidest, most asinine thing I’ve ever seen commented on this blog.
Both of you have so much PRIVILEGE that you come here gaslighting people about how six figures isn’t REALLY that much money. Do us less fortunate folks a favor and shove your privilege up your rear. You both disgust me.
@JTJR
I grew up dirt poor (I’d say more so than you, but this isn’t about “woe is me”). Just open your eyes and see that many MANY thousands in BN make six figure salaries in this current age… look up salaries at the major employers here. But this isn’t about that. I only mention that for comparison and to say that this man’s salary is NOT very big for the organization he leads in comparison to many of your city neighbors who are doing much less work or less important work for the same money.
My point again (@Diane) is to NOT attack a great organization in such a petty way… seems like you have a personal beef. MFB is helping MANY people in need and this does not seem an unrealistic income he makes to lead it!
End of story.
A lot of those major employers are government spending tax dollars
@ Susan
Yeah, because making a six figure income just SCREAMS charity to me. Who cares how it compares? I don’t. It’s a charity. Charity means donating your time, not profiting off of it. And I’m not gonna play your “who’s higher on the progressive stack?” game. I mentioned I grew up poor to show a point, not flex. I can’t believe I have to even explain that.
And look at your arrogance! Bless your heart with that end of story nonsense. Just because you want a conversation to be over doesn’t mean it is, no matter how entitled you feel. Your privilege is showing again. Did I mention you disgust me?
“Notice he’s in the top 2% of wage earners? It doesn’t say $213, combined is over $300,000.” As well Warren Buffet, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk are in the top 2% of wage earners. Now those people are rich. Stinkin’ rich. Yeah when I was a kid growing up 40+ years ago, $50-$60K was rich. Not anymore. Back to the wages of these “good” samaritans though. Paying them big money so they are easier to control. To tow the narrative. Or we’ll find somebody else. Stress free. no pressure.
@JTJR – $15 hour, minimum wage times 40 hours, $600 times 52 weeks, = $31,200.00. Oh I too grew up in a trailer, mom, dad, three kids in an 8×48, no AC. So what? You need a hug? Fifty years ago, 30 years ago, 10 years ago, the definition of “rich” due to decades of inflation needs to be adjusted, that’s all. Some of ya all act like even $50K is a lot when $31.2K is minimum wage. It just ain’t what it used to be and do all the shaming you want I’m not backing down on reality.
Now let me tell you something about “priviledge” in my world. I do make 6 figures, but I straight up earned every penney of it by working my rear off, 60, 70, 80 hour weeks for 30+ years. On call 24/7, one vacation in 5 years if I was lucky. Took chances, made investments, lost a bunch, made a bunch. No brag, just fact. And JTJR you have the audacity to assume you know someone who disagrees with you. Now that’s hilarious. One more thing. Have a nice day.
@ Bean
Why would any of that matter to me? It totally sounds like a YOU problem to me. YOU didn’t take a vacation. YOU worked long hours. YOU came to a blog you disagree with. YOU commented on a post you disagree with by gaslighting people about six figures not being that much money. All YOU, buddy. No one asked you to comment. I’m sure no one wanted you to comment. Because you did all that “self sacrificing” I’m supposed to feel some sort of way about it? What? The entitlement of demanding that people change their viewpoint because you said so is what’s actually hilarious.
Go find yourself a NO KINGS or DSA blog to comment on. You’ll get a much better welcome there. Sonny is always looking for new comrades. Oh, did I mention I hate communists and marxists?
P.S. – Profiting off of a charity is disgusting. It’s literally the opposite of charity. Defending profiting off of a charity is disgusting. Don’t defend disgusting behavior and you won’t get called disgusting.