Feed Families, Not Landfills

Food Donation Resources

Each year, Americans across the country are making difficult choices. Seniors are forced to choose between buying food or buying medicine; parents are forced to go hungry so their children don't, and working families are forced to choose between paying their utilities or putting food on the table. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, around 14 percent of American households do not get enough food to live active, healthy lifestyles. What makes this sad fact even harder to digest is this- a significant portion of the food tossed into our nations' landfills is wholesome, edible food. By redirecting that unspoiled food from the landfill to our neighbors in need, an organization can support its local community; reduce its environmental impact, and save money.

What Kind of Food Can Be Donated?

Non-perishable and unspoiled perishable food can be donated to local food banks, soup kitchens, pantries, and shelters. Typical food bank donors include large manufacturers, supermarket chains, wholesalers, farmers, food brokers, and organized community food drives. Perishable and prepared foods are typically collected from restaurants, caterers, corporate dining rooms, hotels, and other food establishments for prompt distribution to hungry people in their communities. Donated food includes leftovers from events and surplus food inventory. Check with your local food bank or food rescue operation (soup kitchen, shelter, etc.) to find out what items they will accept. Your local food bank will often pick up the donations free of charge, reducing warehouse storage and disposal costs.

Information on food safety can also be found on Food Donation Connection's website.

Where Can I Donate Food?

Food pantries, food banks, and food rescue programs are available across the country to collect food and redistribute it to those in need. Local and national programs frequently offer free pick-up and/or reusable containers to donors

Food banks are community-based, professional organizations that collect food from a variety of sources and save the food in warehouses. The food bank then distributes the food to hungry families and individuals through a variety of emergency food assistance agencies, such as soup kitchens, youth or senior centers, shelters and pantries. Most food banks tend to collect less perishable foods such as canned goods because they can be stored for a longer time.

Food rescue programs take excess perishable and prepared food and distribute it to agencies and charities that serve hungry people such as soup kitchens, youth or senior centers, shelters and pantries. Many of these agencies visit the food bank each week to select fresh produce and packaged products for their meal programs or food pantries. Many also take direct donations from stores, restaurants, cafeterias, and individuals with surplus food to share.

Many resources exist to help you find a local food bank or food rescue program in your area.

Feeding America is a national network of food banks that is the largest charitable hunger relief organization in America. It oversees the distribution of surplus food and grocery products through nearly 200 network affiliate food banks and nearly 50,000 charitable agencies. Locate a food bank near you.
Food Pantries allows you to search for food banks by state or by zip code.
AmpleHarvest.org - This nationwide effort aims to educate, encourage and enable gardeners with extra produce to easily donate to a local food pantry.
Rock and Wrap It Up! is an independent anti-poverty organization devoted to developing innovative greening solutions to the pressing issues of hunger and poverty in America. They cover over 500 cities and work with a national database of over 43,000 shelters and places of need.

Am I Liable For Food That I Donate?

The Good Samaritan Act was created to prevent to prevent good food from going to waste and to protect companies from liability surrounding their donations.

Highlights of the Good Samaritan Act (PDF) (2 pp, 206.63 K) about PDF)

Disclaimer of Endorsement: Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

Encourages the donation of food and grocery products to 501(c)3 non-profit organizations for distribution to needy individuals;
Protects all food and grocery donors who donate apparently wholesome food in good-faith from civil and criminal liability;
Exceptions are noted for gross negligence, the law states that these groups will not be subject to civil or criminal liability arising from the nature, age, packaging or condition of apparently wholesome food or an apparently fit grocery product; and
Provides protection for food and grocery products that meet all quality labeling standards imposed by federal, state and local laws and regulations. This includes products that may not be readily marketable due to age, appearance, freshness, grade, size, surplus or other conditions. Grocery products can include nonfood products, such as disposable paper or plastic products, household cleaning products, laundry detergent, personal care items, or miscellaneous household items.

Food banks also protect their donors by offering a variety of liability protections, including strict standards of warehouse operation, proper storage and handling procedures, complete product tracking and recall capabilities, and accurate and timely receipting.

Information on food safety can also be found on Food Donation Connection's website.

What Tax Benefits Do I Get From Donating Food?

Food donations can add up to big savings for the donors. Not only will you reduce your waste disposal costs, but donations can also generate significant tax benefits for businesses. Some organizations help you track how much food you are donating so you can more easily claim tax benefits.

For more information on claiming tax benefits from food donations, please go to Feeding America

Food Donation Success Stories

Rock and Wrap It Up! (RWU) program is a national anti-poverty program that arranges the collection and local donation of leftover food and other basic necessities from rock concerts, sporting events, hotels, corporate meetings, political rallies, and school cafeterias. Among those organizations that have worked with RWU are the New York Giants, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the Hyatt Grand Hotel in New York City. All 30 NHL teams partner with RWU and several venues that are home to NHL teams are now a part of the Food Recovery Challenge. Last year, the NHL, in conjunction with Rock and Wrap it Up!, diverted over 100 tons of food from landfills to the needy, resulting in 160,000 meals serviced and reducing the equivalent of 79 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the environment. View fact sheet (PDF) (2 pp, 514K)
SUPERVALU, Inc., operates several retail banners across the United States including Albertsons and Shop 'n Save. In 2010, they donated over 61 million pounds of wholesome, edible food to those in need, which is the equivalent to around 48 million meals. In addition to being a great moral booster for store employees, it also saved them $2.6 million. Learn more (PDF) (12 pp, 307K)