Thank you for donating your non-perishables!
When you donate nonperishable, canned, or dry foods to ACCFB, we redistribute that food to neighbors, especially through our home delivery program and outreach efforts.
Please note: If you are considering purchasing food to donate, please consider just donating those funds to the Food Bank instead. With financial donations, we can negotiate great deals to distribute more food per dollar. Plus, we can prioritize the nourishing food our communities want most such as fresh produce, eggs, dairy, and culturally appropriate foods.
If you have any questions, please email our Food Drive Team at fooddrive@accfb.org or call 1-510-635-3663 ext. 318.
Drop-off Locations
Please find the nearest Community Food Drive in your neighborhood to drop off your food donation! We visit these locations once a week to pick up donations. Space is limited and can only accommodate a few bags of donated groceries.
Please see the guidelines below for what we can and cannot accept.
ACCFB is thrilled to partner with 1st United Credit Union as the official ACCFB Food Drive Host.
With nearly a century of serving the East Bay, 1st United Credit Union has long supported ACCFB’s mission to make sure that everyone has access to healthy food. If you host a Community Food Drive (300 lbs. or less) this year, you’ll be able to drop off your donations at any one of 1st United Credit Union’s 9 convenient locations throughout Alameda County.
Food Donation Guidelines
The guidelines below are for donations from community members. If you are a food industry business, please refer to this page instead.
We recommend donating healthy, nonperishable food that you would like to eat! Here’s a list of our most needed items:
- Nut butters (peanut, almond)
- Jam/jelly/honey
- Canned tuna and chicken
- Boxed macaroni and cheese
- Shelf-stable milk
- Applesauce
- Beans/lentils (dry or canned)
- Rice
- Whole grain cereals/crackers
- Canned soups/vegetables/tomato products (low sodium, easy open)
- Canned fruits (in juice)
- Nonperishable ready-to-eat meals: chili, ravioli, meats, etc. (low sodium)
We cannot accept:
- Soda
- Food one year past its ‘best by’ date
- Glass Containers
- Open or partially-used products
- Food without ingredient labels
- Frozen or refrigerated foods
- Medications or Pharmaceuticals
Food Donation FAQ
What foods are most needed?
We emphasize nutritious, non-perishable items such as peanut butter, low-sodium soups, and canned meat and fish. See the food our community loves (lista de comidas en español).
Do you accept expired food?
Though canned foods are shelf stable almost indefinitely, we want to ensure donated food demonstrates dignity. Ask yourself, “would I feel valued if I received this item?”
So we recommend unopened, in good physical condition, AND within a year of the “Sell by” or “Best by” date.
My fruit tree/garden has bounty to share! Where can I donate it?
We do not accept backyard produce as it is perishable. However, there are many local groups that work to collect and redistribute backyard produce. Consider reaching out to one of these organizations or consider starting your own!
- Alameda Backyard growers
- Oakland Gleaners
- Forestr Gleaning (Castro Valley)
Know another organization? Reach out to us at donate@accfb.org and we will confirm and add it.
No organization that serves your area? Consider reaching out organizations that distribute perishable foods – see below.
Interested in starting your own local gleaning group? See this guide from StopFoodWaste.org
Do you take perishable or prepared food?
We do not accept perishable foods from individuals. (If you are a business, please see these guidelines). However, we know some amazing organizations that do! Please reach out to one of these groups to find out about their donation guidelines:
- East Bay Food Not Bombs (vegetarian or vegan only; no meat)
- Berkeley Youth Alternatives
- City Team Ministries Oakland
- Forestr Gleaning(Castro Valley)
- San Lorenzo Family Help Center (homemade meals are not accepted)
- East Oakland Collective (prepared food only accepted if prepared in commercial kitchen)
- Alameda Food Bank (no homemade goods)
No organization that serves your area? Consider reaching out to local pantries to see if they would benefit from your donation. Visit foodnow.net to find a pantry near you.
What if I’m a food manufacturer, grower, wholesaler, distributor or retailer?
The Food Bank welcomes donations from across the food industry – from large manufacturers and retail distributors to small, locally-owned businesses and grocers. The guidelines above are for individual community donations, and we have different guidelines for businesses. [Read more about our policies and procedures for food industry donations.]
Do you take donations of other items (not food)?
If you have a non-food item that you would like to donate, please reach out to us at donate@accfb.org with details of your item(s) and we will let you know if we or one of our partner agencies can find it useful. If accepted, we can provide a tax receipt for your donation.
Please note, we generally do not accept donations of gift cards. If you have a single or a few gift cards on hand to donate, we recommend finding an organization or individual in your area that can put it to good use. You can search agencies in your area here at www.foodnow.net
