The Capital Area Food Bank was officially incorporated on October 24, 1979,[1] but it considers its founding date to be January 15, 1980, coinciding with Martin Luther King Jr.'s fifty-first birthday.

[6] Prior to that time, the United States government's Food Stamp Program had been the city's primary source of assisting hungry residents.

In 2017, information about affordable cooking was made accessible for thousands more people when the food bank's recipe cards – which show how to easily prepare a delicious, healthy meal for a family of four for $7 or less – were rolled out in all of the area's 93 Giant stores.

Due to its central location near the seat of the United States government, the Capital Area Food Bank has been a popular stop for politicians.

"[12] In response to the ban, an estimated ten tons of broccoli were sent to the White House, which Barbara Bush in turn donated to the Capital Area Food Bank.

[6] On Inauguration Day, 1993, more than thirty-five thousand cans, including one from Tipper Gore, were collected for the Capital Area Food Bank.

[14] Likewise, less than two weeks before Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004, U.S. First Lady Laura Bush visited the Capital Area Food Bank to encourage Americans to participate in charitable activities.

In 2005, for example, Maryland and Virginia Congressmen Chris Van Hollen, Steny Hoyer, Jim Moran, Frank Wolf, and Albert Wynn were successful in requesting US$1.3 million in federal funds for the food bank.

[8] The Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) is notable for pioneering the use of Client Leadership Councils (CLCs) in their programming efforts.

During each session members participate in skill-building workshops, hear from experts working on food security issues, and ultimately make programmatic and policy recommendations to CAFB staff and local public officials.