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
A Delicious Caffeinated Treat
Most of us are home cooking more than weve ever cooked before. With that in mind, head barista Casey Wehr has shared her recipe for mocha shortbread cookies. These caffeinated treats feature finely ground coffee, chocolate, and a few baking staples you probably have at home. Check out the two-minute video for the full scoop on how to do it.
Mend On The Move Increases Fresh Food Access
MEND launched MEND on the Move, a program designed to extend access to fresh and healthy food beyond the food pantry walls, in mid-2021.
Through this program, MEND leverages its partnerships and volunteers to source, pack, and deliver a regular supply of fresh and healthy food each week for up to 1,500 food-insecure Essex County residents identified and screened by community partner organizations. These residents are typically unable to access the food pantries due to lack of transportation, work and school schedules that do not coincide with food pantry hours, etc.
MEND on the Move removes the food access barriers by meeting people where they are through both home deliveries and free mobile markets.
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Help Grow The Concepts
The first pop-up is located at the Jersey City restaurant with menus for both concepts, and plans are to expand to the Ani Ramen locations in Montclair, Maplewood, and Summit. To get there, they have launched a Kickstarter campaign asking for support. They even have some celebrity campaign ambassadors. Check it out here.
To place an order or just make a donation to the cause. Visit BeAwesomeFeedSomebody.org to learn more.
According to John Couchoud of South Jersey Beer Scene, The craft brewing community in our state is tight knit and incredibly supportive of each other. Brewery Strong is certainly evidence of that.
Hunger In Somerset County
- Somerset is one of the wealthiest counties in America, yet even here there are 17,000 individuals living below the poverty line , many of whom cannot count on having an adequate supply of food.
- Personal events such as job loss, death of a breadwinner, or long-term illness can suddenly plunge a family into becoming food-insecure.
- Global or regional disasters like a pandemic or catastrophic flooding, both of which have hit Somerset County in recent times, further increase the number of our neighbors facing hunger.
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Afghans Forced To Sell Children Organs During Taliban Takeover Starvation
The 9-year-old Monmouth County, New Jersey, girl had the fidgets she couldnt sit still or pay attention during her Zoom class.
Her teacher tried to get her to focus, and she burst into tears. In between sobs, she told her whole class she was starving.
When the school social worker stepped in, they learned the girls mom had lost her job when the restaurant she worked in closed in March and hadnt worked for months. The girl and her two siblings had no food in the house, a widespread problem during the pandemic.
If a child is hungry, then typically the whole family is hungry, said Karla Bardinas, a spokeswoman for Fulfill, the food bank for Monmouth and Ocean counties in New Jersey, told Middletown Patch. Because what weve noticed is that parents will feed their children before they feed themselves.
Fulfill provided food and grocery store gift cards and helped the mom sign up for food stamps and health care for the kids. The family is receiving hot meals every day from the food bank, which also helped get the kids clothes and boots, NBC-4 reported.
The story went locally viral, and they were able to help the mom, who asked not to be identified, find a job as a dishwasher. Other job offers for her have poured into the food bank, along with months of grocery donations and even a car.
Its just all so heart-wrenching and frankly, very very courageous of this little girl, Linda Kellner, the director of external affairs for Fulfill, told Today.
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:
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Ship Mobile Soup Kitchen
- The Samaritan Homeless Interim Program
- 908-393-9545
MONDAY 5:30 pm – 6:30 pmSaint Josephs Roman Catholic Church , 41 Manning Avenue, North Plainfield, NJ
TUESDAY 1st & 3rd Tuesday, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pmSaint Josephs Roman Catholic Church , 41 Manning Avenue, North Plainfield, NJWEDNESDAY 6:00 pm – 7:00 pmSacred Heart Roman Catholic Church , Main Street, Manville, NJ 08835THURSDAY 5:30 pm – 6:30 pmSacred Heart Roman Catholic Church , Main Street, Manville, NJ 08835FRIDAY 5:30 pm – 6:30 pmSaint Josephs Roman Catholic Church , 41 Manning Avenue, North Plainfield, NJ 07060
How Cfbnj Helps Hungry Neighbors
We package food orders for local soup kitchens and food pantries we purchase and collect food for distribution help people in need through SNAP application assistance reach communities with limited resources with mobile pantries and encourage others to get involved. Last year, we distributed food for over 85 million meals , 24% of which was fresh produce. We address hunger as a health issue by providing more fruits and vegetables, nutrition education, and medical screenings to inspire positive lifestyles. Community members from all walks of life engage in our mission through volunteer opportunities resulting in over 17,000 volunteer visits last year-equivalent to the work of about 21 full-time employees.
CFBNJs mission is to fight hunger and poverty in New Jersey by assisting those in need and seeking long-term solutions. We will engage, educate and empower all sectors of society in the battle. We advance this mission during times of relative calm and during periods of upheaval. We are so grateful for your support in this fight.
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How You Can Help
We accept cash, cheque, credit and debit at our Winston St Main Office Monday to Friday 8:30am-4:30pm:
- Cheques should be made payable to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and can be mailed to our Main Office at 8345 Winston St, Burnaby, BC, V5A 2H3.
- Cash will need to be dropped off at our Main Office.
- To donate with your credit card – click on Donate Now or call 604-876-3601 dial 2.
Raise Money – Virtual Food Drive
Our Virtual Food Drive is a fantastic engagement tool where teams can compete to raise money for the GVFB. Safe, secure, and hassle-free, the VFD enables you to collect monetary donations through your customized website. Double your donations by asking your company to match funds raised, to show support for a cause that is important to you and your team!
A Gift in Your Will
Leaving a gift in your will for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank has a tremendous impact, and supports our vision of providing healthy food to those in need. If you would like more information, click on the link below to learn more.
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
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How Can You Help
So, what can you do to help? Well, for starters, head over to BreweryStrong.org and buy a T-shirt! They have a cool logo created by visual artist Mike Bell and shirts sales have been a great source of seed money for the organization. Its a great way to show your support.
Using the DONATE NOW button, you can make a straight donation. . If you are a hospitality worker in need of relief please stay tuned. Brewery Strong is working on the application process so check the website regularly.
Want to support the breweries that support Brewery Strong? Degan provided me with a list of breweries that have committed to donating proceeds either of the All Together beer, the T-shirt sales, or other support:
- Icarus Brewing
Note: The writer received a complimentary cheesecake.
Right now most of us are really missing going out to restaurants, especially for special occasions like birthdays and Mothers Day. Of course, these celebrations feel even more special with the perfect dessert. Lucky for us, theres a solution! The Cheesecake Factory is currently accepting takeout and delivery cheesecake orders.
Limited Liability Protection For Donors
The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996 encourages the donation of food and grocery products to nonprofit organizations for distribution to needy individuals. The Act exempts persons and gleaners who make good faith donations of food to nonprofit organizations that feed the hungry from liability for injuries arising from the consumption of the donated food.
Under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, the following food donation standards apply:
Persons and gleaners : Persons and gleaners, including qualified direct donors, shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability arising from the nature, age, packaging, or condition of apparently wholesome food that the person or gleaner donates in good faith to a nonprofit organization for ultimate distribution to needy individuals.
Nonprofit organizations: Nonprofit organizations shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability arising from the nature, age, packaging, or condition of apparently wholesome food that the nonprofit organization received as a donation in good faith from a person or gleaner, including a qualified direct donor, for ultimate distribution to needy individuals.
Donations of apparently wholesome food by qualified direct donors must be made in compliance with applicable state and local health, food safety, and food handling laws .
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Join The Cfbnj Care Crew
Community FoodBank of New Jersey in Hillside is launching a Volunteer Warehouse Ambassador program, known as the Care Crew. The Care Crew will be trained volunteers who will support CFBNJ staff to provide guidance, information, and gratitude to volunteer groups in the warehouse.
The Care Crew will assist in:
- Work with staff to greet and sign-in groups
- Provide an overview, if staff is unavailable
- Circulate among the group during the volunteer activity to answer questions about the project or the FoodBank
- Learn how to work various projects Food Sorting, Box building, and Pasta
- Have strong knowledge of FoodBank mission, priorities, and programs
- Thank volunteer groups at the end of the shift
Care Crew members will be asked to make a one-year commitment which will include an application, interview, orientation session, and commit to two volunteer shifts in Hillside per month. Candidates should have already completed two volunteer shifts at the Hillside warehouse before theyapply to join the Care Crew.
Plan A Gift With Tomorrows Table
Planning a charitable gift in your Will for the Calgary Food Bank is one way you can create a lasting legacy that ensures Calgarians will have access to emergency food support if and when it is required. A planned gift guarantees that the issues you are passionate about will continue to be supported in the future. To learn more, please register for our Planned Giving Seminar.
Numbers reflect our fiscal year, September 1, 2018 to August 31, 2019.
Visits
hampers distributed
Food Link Partners
When I picked up my generous hamper last Tuesday, I was almost out of money with no job prospects. A message on my answering machine at home let me know I had a temp job starting the following Monday. Its been a good week, thanks in part to plenty of food in the fridge and cupboard. Than you all for being a wonderful encouragement to me and making a big difference in my life.
Food Bank Client
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Food Banks In Essex County Provide Help To Those In Need How To Get Assistance Become A Volunteer Or Make A Donation
Those who are food insecure in New Jersey can get help from local and statewide food banks. The need for assistance has increased greatly since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Here is a list of nonprofits and agencies that offer food assistance as a primary service in Essex County. A list of statewide agencies follows. These organizations are also in need of volunteers and donations here are ways to volunteer and make donations.
To add a nonprofit organization or agency to the guide, email .
How To Deduct Donations To New Jersey Food Banks: 2021 Taxes
NEW JERSEY If youre one of many in New Jersey who claim the standard deduction rather than itemize your tax returns and most people do heres some good news if you were thinking about donating to Feeding America through Patchs annual food drive.
If you plan to claim the standard deduction on your 2021 tax returns, you can actually write off up to $600 in contributions to charities such as Feeding America, provided you give by Dec. 31. These write-offs are possible thanks to a charitable-giving deduction authorized by Congress in response to the pandemic.
Nationwide, more than 38 million Americans including 12 million children are considered food insecure, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Feeding America says as many as 42 million Americans could go hungry in 2021.
To put that into perspective, about 35 million people in the United States struggled with hunger in 2019, according to the latest report on household food insecurity by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Households with children are the most vulnerable to food insecurity. Before the pandemic, more than 10 million children lived in food-insecure households.
Right now, hunger in America is closer to home than you may think. In fact, New Jersey is among places that have been profoundly affected by hunger in 2021.
Other qualifying organizations can be found by using the Tax Exempt Organization Search tool on IRS.gov to make sure the organization is eligible for tax-deductible donations.
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How To Donate To A Food Bank
If youre looking to make a difference in your local community and donate to a food bank, there are many ways you can do it. On their website, The Trussell Trust says, Were not sure about the impact of the pandemic will be on food stock levels in the coming months, so we really encourage you to support your local food bank if youre able to.
They encourage people to check what items are most needed on that day and donate those if possible.
Currently, you are still able to donate directly to your local food bank using the search feature to find the closest one to you, or through your local supermarket collection points. There should be a basket in your local supermarket where you can donate food to.
If you want to donate money instead, you can do this directly via The Trussell Trust.
Somerset County Food Banks In Need Of Donations
Recently, Somerset County food banks have reported that the number of families who are food-unstable has doubled since the onset of the healthcare crisis. According to a statement released by the county, This sudden need is causing a rapid depletion of resources, and food bank managers are concerned that the food supply will not be sustainable without continuous and substantial donations.
Many New Jersey residents are suffering, said Somerset County Freeholder Director Robinson. For those who are fortunate enough to have the resources, donating just one item or one dollar to a food bank of your choice can make a difference.
According to food bank managers, shelf-stable items such as tuna fish, canned meat, peanut butter and jelly, cereal, milk and other essential items such as diapers, and paper goods are in high demand.
The number of residents seeking assistance has increased by almost 200%, said Somerset County Community Development Director and committee member of Community Organizations Active in Disaster Kimberly Cowart. Some fear that food banks will not be able to keep up with the demand over time. I hope residents, who are able, will donate to help their neighbors.
The Food Bank Network of Somerset County is a nonprofit organization that collaborates with local food pantries located in Somerville, Bound Brook, North Plainfield and Bridgewater to distribute food and other essential items to residents who are in need.
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