Which Foods Can Be Donated
- Pre-packaged foods that are non-perishable and fresh, whole fruits and vegetables that have not been cut may be collected for donation and distribution without a permit.
- Certain foods that require time/temperature control for safety may be donated if both the donor and recipient are food permitted facilities and the food has been properly handled at an appropriate temperature. See Food Donation Guidelines for more details and information on which foods are not suitable for donation.
How Your Money Is Used
Giving to AzFBN is effective!
Because we work with economies of scale your financial gifts to AzFBN go a long way. Because we deal with semi tractor-trailer loads of food, a little goes a long way! Of course your donations support hunger fighting programs, too, as we work toward a vision of a hunger free Arizona.
Can I Donate Toiletries To Food Bank
You can donate toiletries to most food banks but it’s worth checking on the local food bank website beforehand. The Trussell Trust recommends the following:
- Deodorant
You can also donate household items, feminine hygiene products, and baby supplies too:
- Household items laundry liquid detergent, laundry powder, washing up liquid
- Feminine products sanitary towels and tampons
- Baby supplies nappies, baby wipes, and baby food
- Face masks and hand sanitiser
Recommended Reading: Northern Illinois Food Bank Mobile Pantry
Help Solve Hunger In New Mexico
The food you donate to us goes directly to those suffering from food insecurity. You can make a direct difference in the lives of hungry children, adults, seniors and whole families by providing the nourishment they need. Below you can find the locations that will accept your generous donations.
We also accept monetary donations year round. A financial contribution extends your support allowing us to distribute up to five meals every one dollar contributed. Our ability to maximize your financial support is possible as we source loads of food from across the county, with our other Feeding America food banks and right here in New Mexico. If you would also like to start and host a fund drive in connection with your food donation, visit our Food and Fund Drive page for details to get started.
Feeding America Food Banks
Feeding America is one of the most prolific organizations in the United States, running food banks and other places to donate food in almost every state. This includes 200 Feeding America Food Banks where volunteers collect millions of pounds of food to distribute to all of their surrounding counties. The organization secured and distributed 4 billion meals last year by sending food to food pantries and supplying meal programs. its goal is to end the fight against hunger in America and beyond.
How to donate food to Feeding America Food Banks:
Visit its online tool to figure out if there is a Feeding America Food Bank near you. Each of its foodbanks has a separate website and information regarding drop-off times and requirements for where to donate food.
Don’t Miss: Food Banks In Saginaw Mi
Monetary Donations For Food Pantry Items
You can also donate money so that food banks can operate well. The money you donate is used for various operations such as infrastructure, marketing, staff support, and ongoing supplies.
Money helps them to cover the cost associated with building the pantry in new locations. They also need to give salaries to people that work in the pantry like the food pantry coordinator and different volunteers. Money is also used for marketing services to get the word out into the community.
We would advise you to include another essential item- a can opener. The people who depend on food banks for food do not have can openers. It will become difficult for them to open the cans they are given.
So, the next time you go grocery shopping, consider buying a can opener so that it becomes easier for the receiver of your donation to eat what they are given.
Cooking essentials like spices, salt, pepper, or garlic powder should also be donated. These help in making a meal taste good. Even if you dont have a baby in your house, you should consider donating things for a baby like diapers, baby food, etc. it will make it easier for families that face economic problems to raise their babies.
You will also find meals in the box in the market these days. This is an excellent option if you want to donate food pantry items. The food bank would happily accept an entire meal in one package.
How To Volunteer For A Food Bank
With over 30% of food bank project managers over 65 years old and therefore classed as at-risk, food banks are struggling with a lack of personnel to help deliver parcels due to Covid restrictions. Speaking to the Guardian, Emma Revie said, We are definitely in need of additional volunteers. One of our biggest threats is people becoming unwell and unable to volunteer.
Your local council website is likely to have a page on volunteering in your area, specifying any food banks local to you and if there are roles and jobs available. You can also search using The Trussell Trust website .
Read Also: Best Donations For Food Banks
What To Donate To A Food Bank And What To Avoid
So, youre ready to donate food to your local food bank. Thats great! Whether youre starting a food drive or just planning to grab a few extra items for donation while out grocery shopping, there are a couple of things you should know about what you can donate and what food banks wont accept.
What food you CAN donate to your local food bank:
This part is pretty easy. Food banks accept dry and canned food donations. What does that mean? Basically, any food that is shelf-stable or nonperishable you can keep it in your pantry and it wont go bad. And remember, only donate food that hasnt reached its sell-by date yet. Specifically, food banks often need items like:
- Peanut butter
- Pasta
- Rice
Thats definitely not an exhaustive list but it covers a lot of what food banks regularly need. Additionally, some food banks accept personal care and household items, since many families struggle to afford these items and they arent covered by other food assistance programs like SNAP.
If youre still stumped about what to donate, just look in your own pantry. Families struggling with hunger often cant afford the staples that we normally have stocked at home. So, check your pantry out and go from there. Even specialty foods like olive oil, dressings, or marinades can be helpful if they dont need to be refrigerated.
Speaking of refrigeration, that leads to
To Our Generous Donors:
We cant begin to tell you how meaningful it is to receive food donations from families, individuals, and non-food industry businesses in our community. Whether its part of a family tradition or a special food drive that brings together neighbors or co-workers, theres something transformative in the act of collecting and giving food. Please email with questions about donating food.
We also ask that you consider how to make the most of your generosity. When you donate funds instead of food, your gift can go even further. Using your funds, were able to purchase food in much larger quantities and for wholesale prices not available to the public. This means a $10 donation buys a lot more than $10 buys at the grocery store. Donate now.
Don’t Miss: Food Bank Free Tax Preparation 2021
Host A Virtual Food Drive
Traditional food drives are a great way for our community members to help raise awareness of hunger and support their neighbors. However, due to the rising costs of transportation and labor shortage, it is more challenging and expensive for FIND Food Bank to assist with traditional food drives.
Get Started
What Items Do Food Banks Need Most
Food banks mostly need long-life products that have extended use-by dates or non-perishables such as tinned vegetables and fish, biscuits, and sugar for example.
Tinned foods are often the first thing people think to donate however, other store cupboard essentials like stock cubes, condiments and spices, and jarred sauces are also welcome.
Also Check: Lake County Il Food Bank
How Do I Donate To A Local Food Bank
The donation process will vary from food bank to food bank. To find your local food bank, Villarreal advises visiting FeedingAmerica.org and entering your zip code into the food bank locator. From there, she recommends connecting with that local food bank. Typically, theyâll have a most-needed list of items of things you can donate.
Financial donations are also welcome at most food banks as are volunteers. âVolunteerism is a huge need at all food banks,â Guerra says. âAnd the donation of the dollar goes a long way also. In fact, with the increase of fuel, most food banks need the dollar more than ever to keep food flowing into and across their local service region.â
Other local meal programs such as Meals on Wheels also rely on volunteers to deliver and prepare meals. âFor many recipients, the trusted Meals on Wheels volunteer who shows up every day with a meal and a smile is the only person they see or speak with all day,â says Jenny Young, the vice president of communications for Meals on Wheels America.
And if youâre not in a position to donate food, money, or time, Davis says helping spread the word about available resources for families in need is one of the easiest ways to support. âNo Kid Hungry has a texting line to help,â she says. âFamilies can text âFOODâ or âCOMIDAâ to 304-304 to find community meal sites for their kids.â
Are My Cash Donations Tax Deductible
Yes, Edmonton Gleaners Association, more commonly known as Edmontonâs Food Bank, is a registered charity with Revenue Canada â charitable number 129 185 310 RR0001.
Edmonton Gleaners Association will generally provide an automatic tax receipt on the condition that the donorâs full name and mailing address are provided for monetary donations of $10 or more. On occasion, during specific campaigns, and clearly indicated on correspondence, Edmonton Gleaners Association reserves the right to ask for a minimum monetary donation of $20 or more to receive an automatic tax receipt on the condition that a full name and mailing address are provided .
Donations of less than $10 will not receive a tax receipt.
Don’t Miss: Second Harvest Heartland Food Bank
How Do You Use A Food Bank
To receive a 3-day parcel from a Trussell Trust food bank and most independent food banks, you’ll need a food voucher, for which you’ll need a referral.
You may be able to get a referral and voucher from a number of different agencies and organisations, including housing associations, your GP or mental health teams, advice charities including Citizen’s Advice and children’s centres, who will assess your need. The Trussell Trust also advise that you can call or email your local Trussell Trust food bank, who will let you know which referral agencies they work with in your area.
Once you have your voucher, you can go to your local food bank, where you will be welcomed by trained volunteers. They’ll sit down with you and discuss your needs, provide a food parcel and also potentially help you find support.
Why Donate To Food Banks Specifically
âFood banks generally are very efficient in their logistics processes, affording the food industry a one-stop place for donations that they can trust will be handled with best-in-class food safety considerations,â says Michael Guerra, chief development officer for the San Antonio Food Bank in Texas. âFood banks also work to equitably distribute donated food to local nonprofits that have food as a part of their missionâfood pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, etc.â And, he adds, food banks are often the primary organization in a community that aims at minimizing food insecurity among low-income households and under-resourced households in that community.
In addition to providing food, Guerra says most food banks also provide nutritional education and access to public safety programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program .
Don’t Miss: Food Bank Of The Southern Tier Mobile Food Pantry Schedule
But Its Not Just Food Food Banks Need Non
Baby items, toiletries and personal hygiene products are also much needed.
Non-food items needed by food banks include:
- Baby care – Nappies, baby wipes and baby food
- Toiletries deodorant, razors, loo roll, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shower gel, shaving gel, hand wipes
- Period products sanitary pads and tampons
- Household items washing-up liquid, laundry detergent/powder, fabric softener
Why Donate Food
- Help end hunger: One in six people in Central Texas struggle to have enough food to eat and almost 25% of children in Travis County lack consistent access to food.
- Conserve valuable resources: Wasted food represents 4% of U.S. oil consumption and requires 25% of our fresh water supply to grow.
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions: Uneaten food in landfills accounts for 23% of the nations output of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.
- Save money: Businesses can receive tax incentives for food donations while simultaneously lowering their disposal costs. And for businesses in Austin, food donation counts towards compliance with the Universal Recycling Ordinance.
Also Check: Corpus Christi Food Bank Donation
Can I Get An In
Donations of food from individuals may receive a tax receipt, if requested at the time of donation and if Edmonton Gleaners Association is provided with a third-party invoice, receipt, qualified appraisal, or similar documentation declaring the fair market value of the donated item in addition to their full name and mailing address. The donor can only make their donation at the main warehouse . Tax receipts for gift-in-kind donations will be issued within 60 days of receipt of the item and appropriate documentation.
Donations of food from corporations will receive a letter confirming receipt and description of the item, but not a charitable tax receipt. It is Edmonton Gleaners Associationâs understanding that companies may use this letter as documentation to write off the cost or a percentage of the cost of the product according to CRA policies and do not require an official charitable tax receipt to do so. The corporate donor is responsible to ask at the time of donation for the detailed letter which will be issued within 60 days of receipt of the goods.
Who Will Take Food Donations
- Food pantries: Use Aunt Bertha to find a food pantry near you that accepts donations. Call ahead to make sure that the pantry can accept your donation and to coordinate how and when it should be delivered or picked up.
- Food banks: Contact Central Texas Food Bank to schedule a donation.
- Food rescue programs like Keep Austin Fed may be able to help with donation logistics.
Also Check: Food Bank Volunteer San Jose
Carea Oshawa: Food Security Program
Servicing registered clients of Carea by appointment only. Please contact Danielle for more information on how to access services at 905-723-0036 ext. 1917. No drop-ins at this time.
115 Grassmere Avenue, Oshawa
Monday 9:00 am 12:00 pm
Tuesday 1:00 pm 4:00 pm
Wednesday 1:00 pm 4:00 pm
Thursday 1:00 pm 4:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am 12:00 pm
Food Donations From Individuals
While we appreciate the support we received from food drives over the years, weve had issues with the varying levels of food quality through third-party food drives. On average, up to 30% of the food we receive ends up being SPOILED, DAMAGED, or UNSAFE to eat.
After much consideration, we have decided to move away from food drives as of January 2022.
For more information on this decision, please visit our page here
If you already hosted your food drive and need to drop off your food, you may drop it off at one of our Community Agency Partners.
Read Also: St Mary’s Food Bank Az
Citrus Donations & Gleaning
Our Tucson location is our only location currently accepting citrus donations. Drop-off information for this location can be found in the list below.
The Community Food Bank no longer offers gleaning services, however we recommend you reach out to one of our partners, Iskashitaa Refugee Network at 440-0100.
How To Donate To A Food Bank
Sign up to the GoodTo Newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how to do this, and how we hold your data, please see our privacy policy
Thank you for signing up to GoodTo. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
With the pandemic and the cost of living crisis, food banks are being relied upon more than ever before. If you’re wondering how to help, here’s everything you need to know about food bank donations.
Food banks work with support from the public, who donate non-perishable food at a range of places such as schools, churches, and local businesses, as well as supermarket collection points. Then volunteers sort the produce into emergency food parcels to give to people in need. A large majority of food banks also provide extra services alongside the emergency food parcels, such as toiletries, sanitary products, and baby basics.
There are 2,000 food banks across the UK, with the majority of them run by The Trussell Trust and the others run by the Independent Food Aid Network. If you’re wondering, where can I find food banks near me ? The easiest way to find the food bank most local to you is through the Trussell Trust website, where you can search for your postcode and it will give you the addresses of the food banks in your local area.
Read Also: Second Harvest Food Bank Phone Number