Donate Food
Donate food to neighbors struggling with food insecurity.
Food donations from individuals, groups, and businesses are an integral part of Food Bank for the Heartland’s mission. We rely on donated food in order to provide nourishing meals for thousands of people each month. Whether you want to organize a food drive in your community or at your office, or you’d like to find a place for the surplus of carrots in your community garden, read on to learn how you can contribute—and which food items we need most.
Ways to Give Food
Food Drop Off
Host a Food Drive
Hosting a food drive is a meaningful and fun way for schools, civic groups, offices, places of worship, and neighborhoods to support our mission. Food drives raise awareness of hunger in our communities, help our neighbors in need, and play an essential role in the fight against hunger. Free boxes for collection are available from the Food Bank.
Groups, organizations, and businesses also have the option of hosting a food-specific drive, asking peers to collect one specific food item, like pasta or jars of peanut butter. This type of food drive is easy to implement, fun to promote, and helps us address a specific food need.
Donation Pick-Up
Our drivers are certified food handlers trained to the standards required by the Department of Environmental Health and the Department of Agriculture. To schedule a pick-up of a large-scale food donation of 1,000 pounds or more, please contact Brian Burns, Food Sourcing Coordinator.
Community Gardens
Our priority is to provide fresh, nutritious food to people in Nebraska and western Iowa, so fresh fruits and vegetables are very important to our operation. We invite groups and communities to donate extra produce grown in their community gardens. Contact us today to get started!
Agricultural Donations
People who are food insecure do not always have access to foods that are critical to good nutrition, like fresh produce and protein. Food Bank for the Heartland accepts surplus fruits and vegetables, and bulk protein items.
If you’re a distributor or local farmer, you can reduce waste, better utilize available resources, and help bring more food to those in our community who are hungry.
For more information, please contact Mike Gudenrath, Food Sourcing Manager.
Food Industry Donations
Large-scale food donations are critical to Food Bank for the Heartland’s mission. Donating surplus inventory, test production runs, mislabeled product or excess ingredients to the Food Bank is safe, efficient, and cost-effective. It is also a great way to build corporate goodwill in the community!
The Food Bank accepts donations of dry, refrigerated, and frozen food items. We provide free product pickup, adhere to strict food safety guidelines, and provide complete product documentation and tracking.
Supporters may realize tax benefits for their generosity, and the Federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protects gifts to the Food Bank for the Heartland. As a 501 (c)(3) organization, we comply with all IRS record-keeping responsibilities and will provide you with the documentation you may need to obtain the tax benefits of your donation.
For more information, please contact Mike Gudenrath, Food Sourcing Manager.
Retail Rescue
The Retail Rescue program is a great way for retailers to donate some of the Food Bank’s most-needed food items. The program accepts perishable and shelf-stable food, with an emphasis on retail products such as meat, produce, dairy, and bakery. All donations are collected by a Food Bank for the Heartland staff member or a Network Partner’s staff member, and all drivers are certified food handlers. Contact us today to discuss donation opportunities.
For more information, please contact Mike Gudenrath, Food Sourcing Manager.
Most-Needed Food Items
- Peanut Butter
- Macaroni & Cheese
- Canned Tuna & Chicken
- Cereal
- Pancake Mix
- Canned Fruit and Vegetables
- Pork & Beans
- Pasta & Sauce
- Boxed Meals
- Rice
giving is easy with instacart!
We’re excited to share that we’ve teamed up with Instacart to make giving extra easy with the launch of Community Carts! With this feature, you can now send food donations directly to us without leaving your home.
All you have to do is:
- Open our Community Cart on Instacart
- Type the Food Bank’s address in the upper right: 10525 J St, Omaha, NE 68127
- Shop most-needed items from our wish list
- Check out and an Instacart shopper will deliver the items directly to us
Questions about donating food to Food Bank for the Heartland?
