Are you interested in donating to a food pantry, but don’t know what is best? Keep reading to find out how you can help feed your community.
Food Pantries
Food pantries work hard to distribute free food to the community. They are always looking for more caring individuals to help support their mission. If you’re interested in donating, or just looking to learn more, keep reading for a general list of what to donate and what to avoid.
Donate
When choosing what groceries to donate to a food pantry, it’s important to prioritize shelf-stable items that can make healthy and filling meals. Shelf stable items are easier to store and distribute to the community, and they won’t go bad in pantries.
Good items to donate are:
- Pasta
- Rice
- Beans
- Flour
- Canned fruits
- Canned vegetables
- Cereal
- Oatmeal
Bad items to donate are:
- Leftovers
- Cooked/baked food
- Expired food
- Damaged cans/packages
- Perishable food
Pantries have policies and guidelines in place to ensure the food that they distribute to the community is safe. They may not be able to properly store items that need to be refrigerated.
If you want to know what your local pantry needs, consider contacting them and asking.
Other ways to donate
Donating your time and volunteering with food pantries is a great way for you to support their mission and give back to your community. If you don’t have the time, consider donating money so that the pantry can buy the groceries needed to nourish the members of your community.
Everyday is a Miracle works hard to provide the Bronx community with free fresh and nutritious groceries. If you’re interested in donating, volunteering, or making an appointment for our food pantry, visit our website at edmnyc.org to learn more.