- Businesses & Institutions: The California Organics and Recycling Law (SB 1383) requires that certain businesses & institutions must recover and donate edible food.
- Our Food Recovery Organization Directory lists verified organizations accepting edible food donations in Alameda County. Resources for other counties are available here: Contra Costa County | San Mateo County | Santa Clara County | San Francisco County
- Did you know that reducing food waste is one of the leading solutions to climate change? Go to StopFoodWaste.org for Food Saving Tips, Recipes, Resources and Tools.
- Find Food Distribution sites: Alameda County Community Food Bank Locator, Contra Costa & Solano County Locator, Palo Alto Locator
- To learn how to start your own gleaning program, see the Gleaning Guide at StopFoodWaste.org in partnership Alameda Backyard Grower's Project Pick. Find & contribute to the urban fruit and forage map FallingFruit.org.
Food for Donation
Vendors
| Vendor | Address | City | Destination | Disposal Method | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's Daytime Drop-In Center | 2218 Acton Street | Berkeley | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Accepts donations of Fresh produce; Shelf-stable/Non-perishable foods; Baked goods; Milk & dairy; Cold prepared foods; Hot prepared foods. Contact to confirm donation. | |
| White Pony Express |
3380 Vincent Road #107 |
Pleasant Hill | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Preference for produce, dairy items, eggs, and proteins. Prefer not to receive any additional breads, baked goods, and deserts. Food Recovery Organization in Contra Costa County | |
| Viola Blythe Center | 37365 Ash St | Newark | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Contact for what they accept for their Food Distribution Program. Their Holiday Programs include collections for Thanksgiving and Christmas Food Baskets. https://www.violablythe.org/programs - See the View Food & Toy Drop-off Location List for the collection barrels for shelf-stable pantry items collected through Dec 22. | |
| Village of Love | 490 43rd St | Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Accepts donations from the public | |
| Village Harvest | P.O. Box 9231 | San Jose | Reuse | Free Drop-off | This organization accepts fruit only. For drop-off locations, visit http://www.villageharvest.org/dropoff. | |
| Ursula Sherman Village | 711 Harrison St. | Berkeley | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Donations accepted from the public: Non-perishable food. Formula and coupons. | |
| Tri-Valley Haven: Haven Food Pantry | 150 N L St | Livermore | Reuse | Free Drop-off, Free Pick-up | Types of Food Accepted: Fresh produce; Shelf-stable/Non-perishable foods; Fresh/ Frozen grocery requiring refrigeration or freezing; Baked goods; Meat; Milk & dairy; Bulk foods. Cold prepared foods This Food Recovery Organization is willing to collect from food donors in: Dublin, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton | |
| Tri-City Volunteers (TCV) Food Bank & Mobile Pantry | 37350 Joseph St. | Fremont | Reuse | Free Drop-off, Free Pick-up | Types of Food Accepted: Fresh Produce and packed food (must be unopened, undamaged, and unexpired). Shelf-stable/non-perishable foods, Fresh/Frozen grocery requiring refridgeration or freezing, Baked goods, Bulk foods. This Food Recovery Organization is willing to collect from food donors in: Fremont, Newark, Union City | |
| Tri-Cities Community Development Center: Dollie's Closet | 37620 Filbert St | Newark | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Accepts donations from the public. Contact Dollies Closet/Food Pantry – Maria Heath 510 790-9092 or mariaheath@tricitiescdc.com | |
| The Salvation Army Social Service | 660 Veterans Blvd | Redwood City | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Non-Perishable | |
| The Salvation Army | 1161 S Bernardo Ave | Sunnyvale | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Non perishable items | |
| Telegraph Community Ministry Center | 5316 Telegraph Ave | Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Donations accepted from the public: Food Pantry and Manna from Heaven Breakfasts. Including formula and formula coupons. | |
| Sustainable America - Food Rescue Locator | PO Box 172 | Fairfield | Reuse | Free Drop-off | A directory of organizations across the United States that rescue, glean, transport, prepare, and distribute food to the needy in their communities. | |
| St. Vincent de Paul Food Reclamation Program (Oakland) | 675 - 23rd St. | Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Accepts donations from the public | |
| St. Anthony's Foundation (150 Golden Gate) | 150 Golden Gate Ave | San Francisco | Reuse | Free Drop-off | If you have large deliveries of bulk food items call ahead! | |
| St Mary's Center: Food for All Ages | 925 Brockhurst St | Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Accepts donations from the public | |
| St Francis Center | 151 Buckingham Avenue | Redwood City | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Non-perishable food | |
| South Palo Alto Food Closet | 670 E Meadow Dr | Palo Alto | Reuse | Free Drop-off | ||
| Sotira | 44 Montgomery St | San Francisco | Reuse | Buyback Mail-in | At Sotira, we connect suppliers - retailers to manufacturers to distributors to retailers to brands - to buyers in the secondary market. Their software/platform helps large food suppliers track and right-size their ordering to reduce surplus, offload and monetize their surplus inventory, recouping up to 50% of the product cost. In some cases, when inventory cannot be sold to secondary buyers, the product is donated to food banks and/or food recovery orgs. Sotira has a Partner Program for food, health and wellness, and beauty space looking to accept donations for redistribution. | |
| Second Harvest of Silicon Valley | 750 Curtner Ave | San Jose | Free Drop-off, Free Pick-up | Non-perishable foods, Grocery Rescue and Large-Scale Food Donations from Businesses |
