It may be close to 100 degrees outside but for many of us gearing up for the beginning of the school year and the food drives that pick up in the Fall, this list of Wants and Needs (that hasn’t changed much in the last 15 years) will come in handy when planning your next donation.
- Many food banks have access to lower-cost supplies than you or I do so a cash donation may go further, plus they’re able to get exactly what they need.
- A lot of people have diabetes or are gluten-free for health reasons. Consider No/Low Sugar and Gluten-Free food donations.
- Cans and boxes are sturdier than bags. By the time families are receiving the food, it’s been handled A LOT and packaging needs to be strong enough to hold up. Never donate anything in glass, ever.
- Pop-top cans, boxed and microwave foods are ideal, particularly for our older or homeless or ‘motel’ clients
- Most food banks also have a section for family pets, because no family should have to give up their pet because they can’t afford to feed them. Consider canned or bagged dog and cat food as a donation.
- Home/Health products. Things like toilet tissue and paper towels and plastic wrap and laundry soap and toothpaste and both baby and adult diapers etc, etc, etc are always welcomed as these items cannot be purchased with an EBT card
- Remember the children. While it’s wonderful that we can help put a meal on the table for our families there are always the children who sometimes don’t quite understand why there are no snacks when they get home from school. Individually packaged snack crackers, pretzels, cookies, etc are a favorite with the youngest of our clients.