Donating Food To Food Banks

How To Donate Food

Food banks ask for more donations as inflation takes toll on families

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Hunger is a global issue that is widespread in both the wealthiest and most impoverished nations. Every little bit helps, but there is a constant need for support. Thankfully there are many organizations that make it easier than ever to get food to those in need both locally and internationally. With so many options available, it might be confusing, but really its easier than ever to start donating.

How Many People Are At Risk Of Hunger In 2019

August 21, 2019. With 42 million people in the U.S. at risk of facing hunger due to the pandemic, donating your extra or purchased dry and canned goods through a food drive might seem like the best way to help your neighbors need. But, the best way to support your local food bank is actually through donating money.

How Can You Help Aside From Donating Food And Money

Limiting your support of the food bank to monetary or food donations is unnecessary. Helping to organize and distribute gifts is one way to volunteer. Still, there are many other ways to bring attention to the issue of hunger in your town, such as attending community events or talking to your loved ones about the subject. You can help end hunger and food insecurity by lobbying for legislation that will do just that. Have faith that your efforts will help those who need it.

A fantastic way to assist people in need in your neighborhood is to volunteer at a food bank and help sort and distribute the food that has been donated. You may be certain that your efforts will positively impact people who benefit from your efforts. You can help people in need no matter where you choose to drop off your food bank contributions.

Also Check: How Does Food Bank Work

Ideas Of Items To Donate

Canned fruit packed in water or 100% fruit juice

Applesauce without added sugar

Fruit cups without added sugar

100% fruit juice

Cereal aim for those with at least 3 grams of fibre per serving
Oats, cream of wheat or other hot cereals

Shelf stable fortified soy beverage
Shelf stable milk
Canned fish like tuna or salmon in water
Canned beans, chickpeas, and lentils
Dry beans, chickpeas, and lentils
Canned meat like chicken or turkey
Peanut butter or other nut butters

Many food banks do have adequate refrigeration for fresh or frozen donations. These include foods such as:

Fresh or frozen vegetables
Lower-fat cheese or less)
Lower-fat yogurt

Tax Benefits For Donating Food

Individuals / Organizations: We cannot help you to calculate the value of any donations made for tax purposes. We can, and will happily issue you a receipt for the total pounds of donations made that you can take to your tax preparer who can advise you on how you may be able to value and deduct your donation on your taxes.

Florida: Second Harvest Food Bank Of Central Florida

Central Florida residents who dont want to cook Thanksgiving dinner can order their familys feast from Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Floridas Catering for Good. All of the proceeds from the catered meals are invested into the food banks Culinary Training Program which serves at-risk individuals in the community. This year, for the first time, the food bank will also be offering a holiday dinner deal during Christmas. For $135, you can feed up to 10 people and support others at the same time.

Tips For Donating Food To Food Banks And Pantries

Consider a cash donation. Cash is useful to food banks and food pantries as they can generally buy quantities of food for less. They can also buy the items most needed by their clients.

It is important that donated food be safe and nutritious as possible rather than just what is in the back of your cupboard. In other words, dont just clean out your pantry and donate food that you dont want or cant use anymore unless it meets specific guidelines.

Purchase food specifically for the food drive. Think about what foods other families like yours might like to eat. Also keep in mind that food pantry and food bank recipients range in age from infants to elderly residents.

Donate retail-sized food containers. In other words, the size of items youd pick up at your local grocery store for yourself or family.

Donate food that is in its original package with the label intactunopened and not damaged.

Do not donate food that is past its best by, use by, or sell by date. Although some food is still safe to consume after these dates it is best practice not to donate them.

If canned food has a sharp dent, a dent deep enough to rest a finger in, severe rust pits, swollen or bulging ends or any evidence of leaking, the food is unsafe to eat and should be discarded and not donated. Canned vegetables and meats with any size dent should be thrown away.

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Anyone Can Be A Food Donor

Anyone can donate food, including farmers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, restaurants, cafeterias, hotels, cruise ships, and households, just to name a few.

EPAs Excess Food Opportunities Map is an interactive tool that displays the locations of nearly 1.2 million potential industrial, commercial and institutional excess food generators and more than 4,000 potential recipients.
Gleaning is the collection of excess fresh foods from farms, gardens, farmers markets, and other sources to provide it to those in need. Typically, volunteers partner with a farm to glean excess fresh produce and deliver it to a food bank or food pantry. Learn how to develop a successful gleaning program with this USDA toolkit .

Which Items Should You Not Donate To A Food Bank

Tarrant Area Food Bank running low on food donations while demand increases

There are certain items that you shouldnt donate. These include:

Delicate items / items with glass packaging: these items can break or spill in transit.
Items requiring additional equipment to open: for example cans that can only be opened by a can opener as not everyone has access to this equipment. Donate easy-open cans instead.
Alcohol: though you might think youre helping a family unwind on a Friday evening by donating a bottle of wine, most food banks cannot accept alcoholic donations. This includes not just alcoholic drinks, but also any foods or puddings that have alcohol in them, such as Christmas puddings and some mince pies.

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How You Can Find And Donate To A Food Bank Near You

Times are tough right now amid the cost of living crisis. If youre thinking about giving a little support to those less fortunate, heres what you need to know.

Some of the food people donate to a food bank. Image credit: petelovespurple/Flickr

The cost of living crisis means food banks are in demand like never before.

According to new figures from The Trussell Trust, the number of children receiving food bank parcels hit 830,000 in the last 12 months, a 15 per cent rise on the previous year.

Why Anti Poverty Researchers Bristle At Holiday Appeals For Food Bank Donations

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Campaigns for food bank donations are a staple of the holiday season, but some Canadian food insecurity researchers say the appeals can be tough to swallow.

Josh Smee, the executive director of the Newfoundland and Labrador-based non-profit Food First N.L., says he tends to feel conflicted during the holidays when calls ramp up to donate to local food banks, often accompanied by messaging about ending hunger.

Hunger is an income issue, he said, adding people dont have enough food because they dont have money to buy it.

Smee said donating to food banks wont put more money in the pockets of people who rely on them for meals, but systemic change such as increasing minimum wages and income support levels will.

The reality of it is that weve built a system where private charity is filling in for where the social safety net should be, Smee said in a recent interview. Right now it is absolutely imperative that people donate when they can. But I think that when folks make those donations, they should also be reaching out to decision makers to let them know that its not acceptable that these circumstances exist.

Research from Proof, a national food insecurity working group based at the University of Toronto, shows nearly 16 per cent of households across Canadian provinces adjusted their diets or simply went without in 2021 because there wasnt enough food on hand.

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If You Want To Make A Food Donation Give Nutritious Non

Your local food bank will likely accept almost any non-perishable food item, but here are the items that food banks want the most:

If youre donating canned goods, look for cans labeled “low-sodium” or “no added salt.”Too much sodium increases a persons risk for heart disease and stroke, and food insecure individuals may already be at higher risk. Also, stick to fruits and vegetables that are canned in water instead of syrup, or that are labeled “no added sugar.” As too much sugar increases a persons risk of type 2 diabetes, and makes it harder for people with type 2 diabetes to manage their blood sugar. And, again, people who are food insecure may already be at a higher risk.

Lacey Food Bank Forked River

This Forked River food bank makes sure that no one goes to bed hungry. They are in need of pretty much anything and everything from peanut butter and jelly, canned fruit, cereal, spaghetti sauce, coffee, sugar, condiments and more. They try to have a volunteer on site to collect items from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday through Saturday. They ask to not leave any donations outside and to call their phone number if the building seems to be closed.

Read Also: What To Donate To Food Bank

How Do Food Banks Work

Food banks are designed to help people in the community who may be struggling to pay for food. Schools, churches and community centres often set up collections for food banks or donation schemes and so do big supermarkets and charities, collecting essential items for people who cant afford them.

People usually need a referral from a support service or professional, such as Citizens Advice, your childrens school or a charity. If youre not sure where to get a referral, your local council should be able to advise you and help you find a food bank.

Before being referred people will be asked about their needs, their income and how many people they are supporting so advisers know if they should be referred for enough food to feed a family. They then receive a voucher they can exchange for three days worth of emergency food at a local food bank.

When they have found a food bank and go to collect their food they will often be offered a cup of tea and a chat to see if there is any other help they may need. Food banks exist to meet the immediate need for food but many volunteers try to connect people in need with other support services.

Is It Better To Donate Food Or Money To A Food Bank

Tatosian told TODAY that, while all donations are helpful, monetary donations allow food banks to stretch a dollar.

We have a really great purchasing power, so money would go a bit further, because we can purchase in a wide range at cost, she said.

Regardless of donation, both Tatosian and Foster acknowledged a feeling of gratitude for people wanting to give.

Were very appreciative of donations, Tatosian said. Its amazing that people want to donate.

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Also Check: St Mary’s Food Bank Donation Tax Credit

New Jersey Food Banks To Donate To For Giving Tuesday 2022

The Easton Aquatics club collects food to donate to the ProJeCt of Easton food bank in 2010.lehighvalleylive.com file photo

Lauren Musni | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Its Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving to those less fortunate, annually celebrated on the first Tuesday after Black Friday.

This is a great time to donate to your favorite charity, support a local fundraiser, volunteer at a non-profit organization, raise awareness for a special cause or donate to your local food bank.

Check out our list below for several food banks where you can donate non-perishable food items maybe ones you didnt get to use for Thanksgiving or other supplies, alphabetized by town.

Food Bank Of South Jersey Pennsauken Township

Here’s what you shouldn’t be donating to your local food bank

This food bank in Pennsauken has been feeding south New Jersey for 37 years. You can host your own food drive and donate the items to this organization. They are in need of various non-perishable high protein items, fruits and vegetables, meals, grains and holiday items such as stuffing mix, cranberry sauce, instant mashed potatoes and canned pie fillings. Theres also an urgency for reusable bags for distributing items.

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Do Food Banks Charge For Food

Food banks dont charge for food but most only help people who have been referred by a professional. Often, they will accept vouchers.

A voucher is exchanged for an emergency food parcel typically containing at least three days worth of food. If someone needs to use a food bank, they will normally need to seek another referral.

The idea that lots of people go to food banks for free groceries is a myth many users report shame and stigma around needing food aid and most people only seek a referral after having no income for at least a month, according to Turn2us.

No Kid Hungry America

Schools have been shut across the globe due to Covid-19. This American-based charity is rising to the challenge to ensure the millions of children across the US who have lost their free school meal due to the school shutdown dont go hungry. Nearly 22 million children in the US rely on the meals they receive at school.

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Food We Cannot Accept

We want to ensure all your donations make it to the tables of those in need, so to prevent waste please avoid donating the following:

Over the counter medications
Home baked-goods or food prepared in a home environment
Personally wrapped meats
Opened food items, or food not in its original container/packaging
Candy and snack food items in packaging that can easily be tampered with or contaminated

When donating snacks please keep in mind that a nutritious treat is always preferred.

*The above standards are put in place by Food Banks Canada, and are to be utilized by all food banks and food programs.

Create A Virtual Fund Drive

Huge donation from Nutrien starts Food Banks of Saskatchewan holiday ...

Get your friends and colleagues involved with your effort to help feed Rhode Islanders facing hunger. You can create your own personalized fundraising campaign with many fun options, such as creating a team to engage others in raising funds towards a common goal. You can even connect your movement tracker or your game play streaming account to make a unique and engaging experience for your donors.

Check out our fundraising tool and get started.

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Where To Drop Off Food Bank Donations

Jul 8, 2022 |

Many families having trouble putting food on the table get help through food banks. They depend on the publics generosity to replenish their shelves, and there are many ways you may contribute. One way is by donating food items.

Food banks collaborate with other organizations to guarantee that all members of their communities have access to nutritious food. They are responsible for collecting, storing, and delivering food items such as vegetables and canned goods. Food products that dont need to be refrigerated, such as cereal and canned foods, are frequently accepted. The likes of milk, eggs, and bread are among the perishable products that may be donated to certain food banks.

Food bank volunteers and those in need of food assistance may find a home at a food bank, which also acts as a resource center for those seeking additional services. They base their work on the values of client autonomy, confidentiality, and the worth of each individual in the communities they serve.

What Kind Of Food Pantry Items Should You Donate

Food banks usually accept dry and canned foods. Any non-perishable food can be kept in the pantry for a long time without going bad. Keep in mind that you donate food that has not reached its expiration date yet.

Food items like peanut butter, pasta, canned soup, canned fish, canned beans, and canned vegetables are the best options to donate. Foodbank and clients regularly need such items. Some foodbanks accept other household items as well. You should check your local food bank to get recommendations specific to your area. However, a general list can be made:

Serials and oatmeal

Food banks or food pantries are non-profit organizations, so they depend on peoples generosity to provide food for the weaker sections of society. Some food pantries accept fresh vegetables and food, but canned types are always preferred when it comes to food pantry items. You should donate powdered milk instead of milk because it is easy to transport. Grain products are usually considered the best choice for donations.

Some foodbanks also accept many non-food items like toiletries . Whenever food banks require donations, they call for it. If you are willing to donate, you should always check different food banks online websites to get notified.

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