Community And Faith Groups
Clubs and groups are welcome to get involved, but because of workplace safety and liabilities and the small size of our warehouse, we cannot accommodate large groups or young children during regular morning hours of operation. No food sorting help is needed until after our Thanksgiving food drives email our manager at with your inquiry.
Let Us Get It Into Hungry Hands Who Need It
Our warehouse receiving hours are 9 AM 3 PM Monday through Saturday. If you are going to drop off a donation, please be mindful of a few guidelines:
For individual/personal donations: We accept canned food items no more than 4 years expired. Shelf stable dairy items must be no more than 1 year expired. We cannot accept anything already open . All items must be in clean, unopened condition.
If you are a business looking to donate food, or have unserved leftovers from an event, please see below for more guidelines. We schedule pickups for over 100 LBS of food to coordinate a pickup please email or call 226-8061, leave a voicemail and we will get back to you. Sunday donations are by appointment only. Thank you for your support!
Ways Restaurants Can Donate Leftover Food And Oils
American eateries throw away a lot of leftover food. Fortunately, restaurateurs can find many ways to donate excess meals, ingredients, and oils. This approach helps people who suffer from inadequate nutrition. Restaurants donating leftover food prevents waste and protects the environment as well. A business might also save money on taxes or trash disposal when it makes donations.
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Rescuing Food For Hungry Californians
Feeding hungry people with donations of extra food is an integral part of resource conservation. Organizations served by food rescue and food bank programs include community centers, soup kitchens, food pantries, homeless shelters, senior programs, and childcare centers.
- Food rescue means recovering healthy foods and making fast deliveries to those in need. This is the highest and best use for perishable food. The Fresno Metro Ministry Food Recovery project, which takes excess perishable food to hungry people, is an example.
- Food Finders is a community-based food rescue organization in Southern California, which serves as a conduit, between donors and people in need.
- Food rescue in Southern California also includes Waste Not OC Coalition which works to help meet the nutritional needs of the community by facilitating the donation and distribution of surplus food.
- Food banks are organizations that collect food from a variety of sources, and distribute it to hungry people through local service agencies. The California Association of Food Banks which has a membership of 43 food banks, is one of the leading organizations in California. Major programs include Farm to Family which works with growers and packers to provide fresh produce to banks.
Worried About Liability No Need
The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protects donors from liability when food and grocery products are donated in good faith to nonprofits who feed those in need.
To be eligible for this protection, food donors must simply abide by the State of Arizona packaging and labeling requirements.
ALSO: We are certified in safe food handling and follow industry standards just as you do!
3 EASY WAYS TO START DONATING:
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Find Food Recipient Organizations
The following sites contain tools that allow users to search for food banks, pantries, soup kitchens and shelters that may be interested in accepting wholesome, excess food:
- Feeding Americas Find Your Local Foodbank has a map of Feeding America member food banks. Some of these food banks might have a minimum donation size requirement. Feeding America also operates the Meal Connect app , which connects donors to local food banks.
- Sustainable Americas Food Rescue Locator is a directory of organizations that rescue, glean, transport, prepare, and distribute food to the needy in their communities.
- AmpleHarvest.org allows you to search food pantries by zip code and shows the search results on an interactive map.
- Hunger Free America operates the USDAs National Hunger Clearinghouse, where people can seek food assistance.
The following organizations are examples of food donation organizations that provide a mechanism for entities to donate wholesome, excess food to those in need:
How Does It Work
We make food donation easy. Our Operations Director will work with you to establish a convenient schedule for pick-up of your excess food based on the amounts available, your storage capacity, and our vehicle availability. Excess food should be stored in a safe manner.
When our drivers arrive, they will place that food in boxes provided by Food For Free and transport them in refrigerated trucks to our own cooler and freezer storage or directly to one of our recipient agencies.We track all donations, both in and out, for safe record keeping and by request can provide you with how much food your organization has donated by weight.
For more information on our food donation program, please contact our Operations team at .
Liability Information: You are protected. There are both federal and state laws protecting your organization from liability as long as you are donating the food in good faith and there is no gross negligence. The Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic offers this fact sheet with further information.
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Penn State Students Donate $2400 For Food Insecurity During Swipe Out Hunger’
Coinciding with National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, Penn State generated 1,325 donations and $2,421 from Nov. 12-20 through the Swipe Out Hunger initiative.
Swipe Out Hunger, a national nonprofit committed to ending college student hunger, works with more than 435 colleges and universities nationwide to implement anti-hunger programs. Students and task force subcommittee members from Housing and Food Services and Student Affairs brought Swipe Out Hunger to Penn State in collaboration with the Lion’s Pantry. This is the third year the University has partnered with Swipe Out Hunger.
Through Swipe Out Hunger, students at each Penn State campus can donate $1, $5, $10 or $15 when they purchase a meal at a residential dining facility. The funds raised from this initiative benefit the Universitys Student Emergency Fund, which provides short-term financial assistance to students facing issues such as food insecurity, housing insecurity and unexpected emergencies.
The Swipe Out Hunger campaign will remain open through the end of the fall semester for students to continue donating their leftover dining dollars as the semester closes on Dec. 16. Students at every campus location can continue to donate when they pay for their meal at any residential dining facility, including mobile orders.
- Housing, Dining & Residence Life
What To Consider When Donating Food
Some business owners are surprised when an organization rejects their donations. This may discourage restaurateurs from donating again in the future, but it is for good reason.
Restaurants can donate leftovers, but they have to abide by regulations and organizational policies. For example, the United States Department of Agriculture has specific guidelines for donating food. Likewise, organizations like Feeding America require food banks in their networks to follow set guidelines.
Aside from these regulations, review each of these items to ensure organization accept your donations.
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Where And How Can I Donate My Surplus Food
Christina O’Sullivan
Got surplus food and want to feed bellies not bins?
Below is a list of organisations who can receive and use, or otherwise help with, donations of surplus food. Some of these organisations are active only in London, while others operate in various regions throughout the UK. For more information please visit the websites of the relevant organisation.
Why Arent Restaurants Donating More Food
Business owners need to worry about liability from all angles – slip and fall, working conditions, and food safety. With so many ongoing concerns, why would a business owner want to add another potential problem to their list of worries?
That being said, Nicole Civita, a professor and director of the Food Recovery Project with the University of Arkansas School of Law states there is no available public record of anyone in the United States being sued or having to pay damages because of harms related to donated food.
In fact, restaurants have legal protection when it comes to donating food. Businesses benefit from the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act. As long as the donor does not act with negligence or intentional misconduct, the restaurant is not liable for damage incurred as the result of illness.
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Cater To Community Events
If you prepared food but it never left storage, catering is a perfect way to empty your shelves and give back. A community group, such as a school board or scouting organization, would most likely be delighted to accept your leftovers at their events.
Likewise, you can cater community block parties, fundraisers, and other happenings. Not only would people appreciate your generosity, but you can also promote your restaurant while serving others.
Roti Bank By Dabbawalas Mumbai
Photo source: acchikhabre.com
Mumbais Dabbawalas have come up with the Roti Bank initiative to prevent wastage of food at social gatherings. Leftover food from birthday parties, weddings etc. will be collected by the Dabbawalas and given to the needy. They also take small quantities of excess food from homes. For more details, contact them on 91-9867-221-310 or +91-8652-760-542.
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What Can You Do With Excess Food
Here are six ways to prevent wasted food by tackling your leftovers.Don’t throw them out. Whether you’re eating at home or out at a restaurant, don’t let leftover edible food go to waste in the trash or compost bin. … Make them tomorrow’s lunch. … Reinvent them. … Freeze them. … Swap them. … Prevent them.
What Do Schools Do With Left Over Food
Leftovers may be sold in the school cafeteria or other designated eating areas as second meals, à la carte items or meals. Additionally, the leftovers may be incorporated into a future reimbursable meal. As long as all state and local health and safety regulations are followed, the above are allowable solutions.Dec 29, 2020
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How To Donate Leftover Food From Your Restaurant
Apr 10, 2021 | Guide
If youre a restaurant owner or manage one, then youll be well acquainted with the problem of leftover food. No matter how well planned your chefs are or how accurate your production system is, leftover food is something one cannot escape. And do you know whats worse than seeing all that surplus food in your kitchen? To see it being wasted! Yes, most restaurants simply dump their leftovers in dump trucks lying in the back alleys. Most of these leftovers end up in landfills, causing great harm to the environment.
But if youre someone who doesnt like to see good food go wasted, then youd definitely want to read further. Today, were going to be discussing how you can effectively donate leftovers from your restaurant and help feed those who are less fortunate.
Whom Can You Contact
Bangalore
Missionaries of Charity
They can accept leftover food donation from outside before 4 pm for 50 of their members, who include children and elderly.
Nirmala Shishu Bhavan, 25 Ashoka Road, St. Thomas Town, Lingarajapuram, Bangalore 560084080-2547 4993.Facebook Page
080-2547 4993
Bangalore
R B Shivakumar
He is a social worker who picks up excess food from weddings as well as other functions to feed the poor in Rajajinagar as well as to old-age homes and orphanages. Only vegetarian food is accepted.
Rajajinagar, Bangalore
Bangalore Chennai Delhi Gurgaon Hyderabad Kolkata Mumbai Navi-Mumbai Thane
Robin Hood Army
Robin Hood Army undertakes leftover food collection from restaurants with whom they have tied up. The food is served by RHA’s volunteers to the homeless and hungry located in the vicinity of each particular restaurant. This service is operational on Sundays.
Bangalore: 98116 09752, Chennai: 98843 17823, Delhi: 99844 44471, 76650 07940, Gurgaon: 98021 19292, Hyderabad: 93971 96134, Kolkata: 99038 56216,Mumbai: 93237 84853, Navi Mumbai: 97699 54143, Thane: 98331 34325, 99203 79321
Chennai Coimbatore Erode Hosur Mettur Salem Tirupur Trichy
SEEDS
They distributed about 4,000 ‘Don’t Waste Food’ posters in restaurants and eating houses in several Tamil Nadu towns, through a network of volunteer students. In the towns listed above, their volunteers are now present and food donation collected is distributed among the needy.
81221 39893, 95004 88803, 74185 17750
Mumbai
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Why Should I Donate
500,000 people in Eastern Massachusetts struggle with food insecurity. Thats 1 in 9 members of our community. And yet every day, businesses in Massachusetts throw away thousands of pounds of healthy, edible food.
Additionally, donating your excess food rather than sending it to compost or landfill can save you waste-hauling costs and you may be eligible for tax incentives.
The Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic offers this fact sheet with further information.
Halloween Rice Krispies Treat Cake
Not your typical cake or your typical crispy treat this no-bake Halloween Rice Krispies treat cake is easy to make and hauntingly hard to resist!
No need to turn on the oven for this dressed-up Halloween cake. We cast a spell over the expected square-shaped rice cereal treats, and turned them into a giant chocolate-coated, candy-studded cake of crispy Halloween yum! Every bite is a sweet-tooth-satisfying party in your mouth with tasty chunks of chocolaty rice cereal crunch, chewy candy corn, and a welcome peanut butter invasion of Reeses Pieces.
RECIPE:Halloween Rice Krispies treat cake
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What Can I Donate
We accept any non-plated food that has been handled in accordance with standard food-safety regulations this can include grocery items, produce, wrapped sandwiches, salads, or prepared food that has been safely brought down to temperature . Please do not donate food that you would not be willing to serve your clients.
We accept both frozen prepared food as well as fresh. Fresh food must be donated within 7 days of preparation. Food must be labeled with either preparation date or expiration/use by date.
Previously prepared foods may be frozen for preservation. Freezing process must adhere to ServSafe® guidelines. Prepared food donations may be packaged in a variety of containers and should be made of food grade/food safe materials. Please use recyclable consumables where possible. All prepared food donations must be labeled with the donor organization name, date prepared, contents , and ingredients and/or potential allergens.
Freeze Candy For Later
Dont feel pressured to use up all that leftover Halloween candy at once! It will keep. Place the candy in an airtight container and freeze it. Most candy stays fresh in the freezer for at least 10 months, which means you can use it during the holidays to decorate gingerbread houses, or take some out at any time of year for some crumbled toppings on cakes, or to cut into chunks so you can mix them into cookies and other treats.
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Food Safety & Legal Liability
Food Safety
As long as your excess food was purchased from a licensed food vendor and prepared and handled according to food safety laws and regulations, we can rescue it! Feel free to review our Food Guidelines for more information.
Legal Liability
Donating food is legal and encouraged by the federal government! As a food donor, you are protected under the The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act when you donate food to a charitable organization, such as RLC. There has never been a lawsuit related to donating food. In addition, RLC provides a hold harmless clause in all of our food donor agreements.
Zoos And Animal Farms
Now, you may ask But what about food scraps that arent acceptable to charities? or What about food that may not be suitable to be eaten by humans?. In which case, let farms and local zoos help you out. Animals like cows and pigs at your local zoos and farms could benefit from leftover food that may perhaps not be fit for human consumption. When donating to such places, try and keep out milk, cheese, meats, yogurt, and other such items. This is the ideal way to donate food scraps and food waste that do not harm the environment in any way and result in unnecessary wastage of food.
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Places To Donate Food
There are food recipient organizations across the country. The following sites offer tools to help donors find nearby food banks, pantries, soup kitchens and shelters that may accept wholesome, excess food.
- Feeding America is a national network of food banks, individuals, national offices, and corporate and government partners working to combat hunger in the U.S. Use the Find Your Local Food Bank tool to locate food programs by state or zip code.
- Ample Harvest is a nationwide effort to educate, enable, and encourage gardeners to donate extra produce to local food pantries. Use their Find a Pantry tool to donate food you grow or buy.
- The Homeless Shelter Directory is a crowdsourced listing for people who want to find and donate food and/or supplies to their local shelter.
Contact Us:
What Happens To The Leftover Food On All Of Your Favorite Cooking Shows
Watching talented chefs perform awe-inspiring culinary feats on TV is a national and international pastime, with shows like “Chopped,” “The Great British Baking Show,” and “MasterChef” shooting up in popularity in recent years. A Harris poll even found that as many as eight in 10 Americans tune in to cooking shows online or on TV .
But as more cooking shows are gaining acclaim, and the audience sees chefs constantly tossing food in the trash , one starts to wonder: What happens to all the food that isn’t eaten?
Well, the answer is variable, and it depends widely on the show itself as well as the country in which it is filmed. As it turns out, there are tons of altruistic and creative methods for distributing leftovers on cooking shows, from feeding crew and staff to donating to food banks. Unfortunately, though, there is also a ton of waste.
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