Food Industry Donations
Nearly 50 million Americans, including more than 15 million children, are hungry or food insecure. In Connecticut, there are more than 400,000 people at risk of hunger; more than 115,000 children in Connecticut are going to bed, and to school, hungry.
Yet every year, millions of pounds of food that is unwanted or unsalable is discarded by the food industry.
You can help us alleviate hunger in our communities while continuing to thrive as a business by donating unwanted food and surplus inventories to Connecticut Food Bank. We make it easy for large and small food companies to work with us.
How to Donate
To discuss how your company can donate food or other products, contact a member of our Procurement team at (203) 469-5000, or send an email.
We document food donations that arrive at our warehouse and food donors are given a receipt that records the amount donated. Once the food is received, it is distributed to needy people through a network of 600 partners and programs. All agencies and programs are carefully monitored to ensure that donated products do not re-enter the marketplace.
You are welcome to tour the Connecticut Food Bank headquarters and distribution center in Wallingford to see how we process your donation.
You’re Protected
The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Donations Act is a federal law ensuring that donors are protected from any civil and criminal liability if donated products somehow cause harm to a recipient to encourage donations of food and grocery products to non-profit organizations for distribution to needy individuals.
For more information about the protection offered to food donors as well as the full text of the Act, click here for information from Feeding America.
Why Donate Food?
There are several reasons why donating food makes sense for your business:
Tax deduction — The 1976 Tax Reform Act allows companies to deduct costs associated with donating food to nonprofit organizations.
Cost savings — In addition to tax benefits, save money by donating products to Connecticut Food Bank rather than throwing it away.
Inventory control — Food donations help reduce your surplus of hard-to-move inventory that cannot be sold.
Favorable publicity — The Connecticut Food Bank promotes its food industry donors through a variety of marketing vehicles, including our website, news releases and social media.
Community & Staff Goodwill — Your support will earn the respect of the community at large, as well as your employees and industry peers.
What to Donate?
Connecticut Food Bank accepts anything from cases to truckloads of food and non-food items that are:
- Dry-stored
- Frozen
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meat products
- Household
- Personal care
- Surplus
For any of the following reasons
- Surplus
- Cosmetically damaged
- Code-dated
- Unlabeled or mislabeled
- Discontinued or test-market
- Private-label brands
- Under- or over-weight items
- Seasonally packaged
- Off-specification products
If you are not sure whether Connecticut Food Bank can accept your item, please call us at (203) 469-5000. We are often able to accept the item, or we will find an appropriate outlet for your donation.