Who Will Take Food Donations
- Food pantries: Use findhelp.org to find a food pantry near you that accepts donations. Call ahead to make sure that the pantry can accept your donation and 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.
What Can I Do With Unwanted Sleeping Bags
Sleeping bags are accepted by some animal shelters to be used as bedding for cats and dogs. And then, of course, there are a variety of sharing websites and apps, the most well-known of which is probably Freecycle. This operates in regional groups, where pretty much anything, in any condition, can be offered for free.
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.
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What Food Items Can Be Donated
As a rule of thumb, Villarreal says food banks are looking for food pantry staples that most people have in their kitchens such as grains, pastas, canned beans, cereal, and peanut butter. Guerra adds that low-sodium canned vegetables, rice, and canned fruit are also needed.
There are some items that food banks generally donât take as donations such as homemade items, Guerra says. Villarreal advises not donating items in glass containers as they can shatter during transportation or anything thatâs opened, damaged, or unlabeled.
Keep the expiration dates in mind as well. âMany nonperishable items have a shelf life well beyond their sell-by date,â Guerra says. So, Villarreal recommends using your best judgment. If the item is near its expiration date it should be fine to donate, but if itâs well past the date itâs best to toss it.
Depending on the food bank, some also accept other items as donations. Think of things that youâd find at your local grocery store such as feminine hygiene products, toothpaste, soap, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, diapers, pet food, and other household items.
Places In Austin To Donate All The Things That Don’t Spark Joy
Marie Kondo-ing is the new spring cleaning. Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, the book-turned-Netflix-sensation, has inspired an almost religious fervor, compelling Austinites to pack their Priuses full of items that dont spark joy and dump them off by the carload.
Goodwill and thrift stores are simple solutions to all that unwanted stuff, but there are organizations that can benefit from your new minimalistic approach. Taking the extra step to donate gently used clothing, furniture, books, crafts, beauty supplies, bikes, health equipment, building supplies, and other items is an easy way to make a big impact.
Here are some of the spots in town that will do lots of good with your old goods. Don’t see your item here or have something youre not sure where to donate? Check out the City of Austins handy What do I do with? website here.
AGE of AustinWhat to donate: Health equipmentWhy: AGE of Central Texas offers programs, resources, and education for older adults. AGE also has adult day health care, caregiver services, early memory loss support, computer training, and a lending library of health equipment. As with many of these organizations, it also has a wishlist of items you can pick from.
Read Also: How To Donate To Gleaners Food Bank
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.
Where To Donate Food In Austin Tx This Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what we have and how grateful we are for it. Perhaps youre grateful for your children and grandchildren bringing light into your life. Maybe youre thankful for your good health or a job you enjoy. Or perhaps youre just relieved to still be doing well during this unprecedented year.
If youre like many Americans, you may not think to be appreciative for the bounty of food set before you at each and every meal. Unfortunately, just last year 35 million Americans struggled with hunger many of whom are right here in our hometown of Austin. Fortunately, you can make a difference by donating your extra Thanksgiving food.
You May Like: Utah Food Bank Donation Guidelines
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
How Does Food Bank Work
Donations of food The public donates non-perishable, in-date food to a variety of locations, including schools, churches, and companies, as well as supermarket collecting stations. More than 28,000 volunteers arrange it into emergency food boxes, which are subsequently distributed to individuals in need.
Read Also: Food Bank Of Eastern North Carolina
Become Part Of A Just Food System
Your investment is an opportunity to make Central Texas one of the most sustainable and just food systems in the nation, where small farms thrive, and healthy food is accessible for all.
Your generosity supports local, family farmers and increases access to healthy food for everyone in Central Texas. Make a one-time gift today!
How You Can Help
Volunteering
Donating
- Cash or online donations are always welcome and appreciated
- Non-perishable food is accepted at the food pantry, in the baskets in the back of church or at the church office
- Household items including towels, blankets, backpacks, sleeping bags, laundry detergent etc. are always helpful
- Toiletries such as travel size shampoo, toothpaste, lotion, deodorant are always in demand for our hygiene kits.
Don’t Miss: Best Donations For Food Banks
Hope Food Pantry Austin
Hope Food Pantry Austin has been active for two decades, providing groceries at no cost to Austin families who are experiencing food insecurity. Every month thanks to donations from people like you theyre able to deliver the equivalent of over 12,000 meals to a diverse group of people in need. If youd like to help them disperse hope in the community, you can donate to their food pantry.
Where Can I Donate Food
Similarly, How can I donate food in Chicago?
Food Depository of GreaterChicago Please send your gifts to bay #10, which is located on the northwest side of the building on Keeler Avenue. Please contact 773-247-3663 if the doors are locked.
Also, it is asked, How do I donate food in Austin?
Donate online using a or PayPal account for a one-time contribution, a recurring gift, or a gift in honor or memory of a loved one. Call our Development Office at 512-220-2680 to make a phone donation. Make your check payable to Central Texas Food Bank and mail it to the following address:
Secondly, What can you donate to the Utah Food Bank?
Thank you for your interest in holding a food and/or fundraising drive for Utah Food Bank Food products most in demand: Peanut butter is a delicious spread. Macaroni with cheese. Meats in Cans Chili. SpaghettiOs/Ravioli. Fruits in cans Other Prepared Foods
Also, What can you do with unopened expired food?
Is it possible to donateexpiredfoods? Foods that have expired may be given. We felt compelled to mention it since not everyone is aware of it. Food that has passed its best before date is welcomed and appreciated at food donation centers and food banks all around the country.
People also ask, What is the greater Chicago area?
9,581 mi² Area / Metropolitan Area of Chicago
Related Questions and Answers
Also Check: Food Banks In Anderson Indiana
Turn To Crampt For Your Self Storage Needs In Austin Tx
As you go through your pantry pulling out items for donations, you may come to realize the abundance of belongings youve been blessed with this year both in food and other personal items. If you find that your wealth of items is slowly taking over your home, turn to Crampt for easy storage options. When you store your belongings with Crampt, you can feel good knowing that youre trusting a company who puts good back into our community throughout the year. We work with a plethora of local charities, including some of those listed above.
Why Is Food Insecurity
Food insecurity is described as a lack of money or other resources causing a change in food intake or eating behaviors. In 2014, 17.4 million families in the United States experienced food insecurity at some point throughout the year. Food insecurity does not always result in hunger, but hungeriii is a probable consequence of it.
Also Check: Food Donation Centers Orange County
How Do You Throw Away Pillows
Simply place the feather or down stuffing into the compost bin and wait for it to slowly break down. Throw the pillows away as a last resort. When you have exhausted all of your options, sometimes all you can do is throw your pillows into the garbage. Alternatively, you can take the pillows to the landfill.
Hunger Is Closer Than You Think
As Texans struggle with the Rising Cost of:
- Other Basic Necessities
Hunger affects people from all walks of life It does not discriminate.
Millions of people in Texas are just one job loss, missed paycheck, or medical emergency away from hunger.
Could hunger be affecting someone in your family, your neighborhood, your childs classmate, a co-worker, or a good friend?
Reveal is committed to helping feed everyone who finds themselves in need of food assistance.
4,092,850 people are facing hunger in Texas
1 in 5 Children Go Hungry
14.1% is the Texas Food Insecurity Rate
Recommended Reading: Capital Area Food Bank Volunteer
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 .
Where To Donate In Austin
With all due respect to spring cleaning, one of the best times to get a nice purging in is right around the holidays.
The changing of the seasons, putting out holiday decorations, giving and receiving gifts… all of these have one thing in common: you might have a lot of extra crap you need to donate. Before you hop in your car and head to the nearest Goodwill, consider trying one of these local organizations accepting donations this holiday season. Here’s your guide on Where to Donate in Austin.
Contributed by Sarah Connell
3710 Cedar Street
Type of Donations: Health/Medical Equipment
AGE is an organization that helps senior citizens manage daily activities. AGE has several centers around Central Texas that allow for older adults to socialize with others as well as receive any care that they may need. In addition, AGE hosts a peer-based computer class in their computer lab and provides early memory loss support. They also lend donated medical equipment, free of charge, to adults that need it – which is where you can help.
3106 East 14 1/2 Street
1900 S 1st Street
Type of Donations: Books
______________________________________
2005 Wheless Ln
Type of Donations: Art Supplies, Craft Supplies, Office Supplies
______________________________________
Various Locations
Type of Donations: Clothing , Housewares
You can also check out APA’s wish list of items needed for their shelter and donate directly to them!
______________________________________
611 Neches Street
821 Gunter St
Also Check: Best Food To Donate To Food Bank
Rescue Food Nourish Neighbors
1 in 7 people in Austin do not know where their next meal is coming from. 1 in 3 of them are children.
Over 30% of food in the U.S. goes uneaten, mostly going to landfills where it generates environmentally harmful methane gas.
Keep Austin Fed is a champion for our neighbors experiencing food insecurity. We serve our community through the redistribution of wholesome, nutritious food.
Why Should You Donate To Local Food Banks
“Millions of vulnerable children are losing the healthy meals they depend on as the closes schools nationwide,” Davis said at the beginning of the pandemic. “As of , 39 states had closed schools entirely. When you add in the districts closed in other states it means 41.6 million kids, or 4 out of 5 kids, are out of school.” Even in areas where the schools were still open, many businesses were closed, which meant hourly workers who may have already been struggling to make ends meet were hit hard.
Fortunately, as of July 2022, the health risks posed by the pandemic have lessened over time. However, Davis notes that the need and the financial impact has not abated. âFamilies still face ongoing challenges due to the strained supply chain, rising food and gas prices, and skyrocketing inflation,â she says. âToday, one in six kids face hunger in the U.S.â
According to a recent Feeding America food bank survey, 80 percent of food banks across the country reported an increase or steady demand for food. Food insecurity exists everywhere, says Zuani Villarreal, the senior director of communication for Feeding America. âIt could be your classmate it could be a co-worker it could be your neighbor a fellow church goer that needs help and I think the awareness of that issue should drive people to help,â she says. For this reason, donating to food banks is more important than ever.
Don’t Miss: Food Banks In San Francisco
Be A Food Contributor
Become a Keep Austin Fed food donation partner to help save the planet and feed your community!
We welcome, and greatly appreciate, donations of wholesome and healthy surplus food from your restaurant, bakery, grocery store, event venue, or catering facility.
As long as it complies with governing health codes and Safe Food Handling Practices, Keep Austin Fed will pick up, at no cost to you, your surplus food or beverage and deliver it to a charitable organization that helps people experiencing food insecurity. We believe in making the best use of the best food and strive to provide our partners with healthy and nutritious food choices.
We cannot accept home cooked meals, prepared meals older than 4 days, meals that have been plated, or food from a self-serve buffet.
There are both Texas and Federal Acts protecting your business from liability, as long as you donate in good faith and believe in the wholesomeness of the donated food. You can be proud your hard work will not go to waste and stays out of the landfill, contributing to a cleaner environment.