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How to Donate or Volunteer at a Food Bank

By FoodBankLocator Editorial Team · Published · Last reviewed

Food banks and pantries run on donated food, donated money and volunteer time. If you want to help, the most useful first step is to contact the food bank that serves your own area, because it knows what is needed locally. This guide explains how to find that food bank, the main ways to give money, food or time, and the questions to ask first. It draws on Feeding America's pages for volunteers and donors and on USDA's description of how food moves through the system. FoodBankLocator.org is a directory. We do not collect donations or run volunteer programs ourselves.

Start with your local food bank

Feeding America says a food bank is a warehouse that collects and stores food from donations and food drives, and that a pantry gets its food from a food bank and gives it directly to people. USDA adds that food banks are usually the local agencies that states choose to distribute USDA Foods to soup kitchens and pantries. In other words, a food bank sits in the middle of the system, so a gift to it can reach many pantries and meal programs. See food bank vs. food pantry vs. soup kitchen if the terms are new.

To find the food bank for your area:

Once you find the food bank, look at its own website. Feeding America notes that most food banks list their volunteer shifts there, and many also describe how to give.

Volunteering

Feeding America lays out three simple steps for volunteering: use its search tool to find a food bank in the network, check the food bank's website, where it says most food banks list available volunteer shifts, and sign up for a shift. It also describes a pledge to volunteer on its volunteer page.

Feeding America lists the kinds of work volunteers do:

  • Sorting and packing food donations for upcoming distributions.
  • Assisting families during their visit to the food bank or food pantry.
  • Delivering meals to older people or people with disabilities or health conditions.

Tips if you are new:

  • Ask about age and group rules. Ask the food bank whether there are minimum ages or group sessions before you bring children or a team.
  • Ask what to wear and bring. The food bank will tell you what is allowed.
  • Start with one shift. You can always sign up for more. Reliable volunteers are valuable because distributions run on a schedule.
  • Ask about skills. If you have a skill, such as driving or translation, mention it and ask whether the food bank can use it.

Meals on Wheels programs also rely on volunteers. If you are drawn to working with older neighbors, read about senior food programs and contact a local provider.

Giving money

Feeding America's "ways to give" page lists a number of options, including a one-time gift, a monthly gift, starting a personal fundraiser for a birthday or athletic challenge, donating by mail with a printable form, and donating by phone at 1-800-910-5524 on weekdays (8 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to the page). The page also lists planned gifts, gifts of stock, donor-advised fund grants, cryptocurrency, and car donation. Those options relate to the national organization.

A gift to the national organization and a gift to your local food bank are different things. To give to your own area directly, use the donation page on your food bank's website. If you cannot tell from the page, ask. A short call or email to the food bank is a normal question.

Before you give to any charity, you may want to look at how it reports its finances. That advice applies to every organization, not just food banks.

Giving food

Many people give food through a food drive or by dropping off groceries. A few practical points:

  • Ask what is needed. Food banks and pantries usually know which items are short. Ask before you shop.
  • Check what they accept. Ask your food bank what it can and cannot take, since the rules are set by each organization.
  • Consider a virtual food drive. Feeding America describes a virtual food drive as a great way to help it reach more neighbors. These let friends or coworkers give online, without carrying cans anywhere.
  • Do not forget non-food items. Feeding America says many food banks help with baby food, formula and diapers. Ask whether yours accepts them.

Other ways to help

  • Share accurate information. If you know someone who needs food, point them to how to find a food pantry today.
  • Help neighbors apply for benefits. Feeding America says food banks have SNAP application assistance programs. If you are a volunteer, you may be able to help with those. Read how to apply for SNAP in your state.
  • Tell us about errors. If a listing on this site is wrong, use the contact form. Corrections help the next person who comes looking for help.

A note on listings that look like food banks

Not every place listed on the web as a food resource gives out food. For example, SNAP-authorized retailers are stores that accept SNAP benefits. If you want to give or volunteer, a regional food bank is a better contact than a store. Our data sources page explains how we label each type.

Sources

Last reviewed: October 18, 2026.