- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Barber Ministries | Oakland | 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; Cold prepared foods; Hot prepared foods; Bulk foods | ||
| LiquiDonate |
149 New Montgomery St Floor 4 |
San Francisco | Reuse | Free Drop-off, Mail-in for a Fee | Non-perishable only. Commercial quantity. LiquiDonate matches and moves reclaimable items (ex. returns, liquidation, branded items, inventory, apparel, office/warehouse supplies, nonperishable food) from businesses to nonprofits, including arranging pickup or delivery. Free delivery for non-profits, business pays for delivery. | |
| Lake Merritt United Methodist Church | 1255 First Ave | Oakland | 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; Cold prepared foods; Bulk foods | |
| La Clinica Alta Vista | 1515 Fruitvale Ave | Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Donations accepted from the public: Coupons for and samples of or new formula. Ask about nutritional supplements for pregnancy or new mothers. | |
| Insight Housing |
2855 Telegraph Ave Ste 601 |
Berkeley | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Donations accepted from the public: Non-perishable food. Unopened and unexpired. | |
| HOPE Collaborative |
2000 Franklin St 3rd floor |
Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Types of Food Accepted: Fresh produce; Shelf-stable/Non-perishable foods; Fresh/Frozen grocery requiring refrigeration; Baked goods; Meat; Milk & dairy; Cold prepared foods; Hot prepared foods; Bulk foods | |
| Hope 4 the Heart | 22035 Meekland Ave | Hayward | Reuse | Free Drop-off, Free Pick-up | Types of Food Accepted: Fresh produce; Shelf-stable/Non-perishable foods; Fresh/Frozen grocery requiring refrigeration; Baked goods; Meat; Milk & dairy; Cold prepared foods; Hot prepared foods; Bulk foods | |
| Homies Empowerment | 7637 MacArthur Blvd | Oakland | 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; Cold prepared foods; Hot prepared foods; Bulk foods | |
| Hively (Pleasanton) |
Tri-Valley Resource Center 7901 Stoneridge Drive, Suite 150 |
Pleasanton | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Non-expired food. Un-opened Baby formula and coupons for formula. Non-perishable food. | |
| Hively (Oakland) |
Oakland Family Resource Center 111 Myrtle Street, Suite 102 |
Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Non-expired food. Un-opened Baby formula and coupons for formula. Non-perishable food. | |
| Helping Others Win (formerly WOFP) | 920 Peralta St | Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Donations accepted from the public: fresh produce, frozen meats and fish, canned goods, cereal, juice, rice, pasta, snacks | |
| Freedge Location Finder |
Freege Location: Moments Town Fridge 410 13th Street |
Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off, Free Pick-up | Use the global Freege location finder for listings of community/public refrigerators to donate food to (or access as needed) in addition to the one listed. | |
| FreeCycle |
The Freecycle Network PO Box 294 |
Tuscon | Reuse | Free Pick-up | Moving? Going out of town? Not to your taste? Offer fresh and pantry items to neighbors. | |
| ForestR | 20298 Marshall St | Castro Valley | Reuse | Free Pick-up | Donate your backyard fruit and produce by having volunteers to come pick it (glean), leave you some, and donate it to Community Cupboard in CV and The Dig Deep Farm's Food Hub (The Farmacy) in San Leandro. | |
| FoodRecovery.org | Reuse | Free Drop-off, Free Pick-up, Free Mail-in | Accepted Food: Fresh produce; Shelf-stable/Non-perishable foods; Fresh/Frozen grocery requiring refrigeration or freezing; Baked Goods; Meat; Milk & Dairy; Cold prepared foods; Hot prepared foods; Bulk foods | |||
| Food Shift |
2550 Monarch St Building 2, Wing 8 |
Alameda | 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, Cold prepared foods, Bulk foods | |
| Food Runners | 2579 Washington St | San Francisco | Reuse | Free Drop-off, Free Pick-up | Residential and Commercial. See note. | |
| Food Recovery Program (San Lorenzo Family Help Center) | 20960 Corsair Blvd | San Lorenzo | Reuse | Free Drop-off | High-demand non-perishable items wanted: canned vegetables, soup, chili, shelf-stable Asian foods, boxed whole-grain cereals. Holiday season: canned pumpkin, boxed dressing/stuffing, small turkeys. Grocery Store partners accepted. Volunteers needed: from answering phones, registering clients in multiple languages, sorting & bagging, picking up donation from a farmer's market, & delivering food to homebound clients. | |
| Food Pantry at the Neighborhood Center (All Saints Episcopal Church) | 911 Dowling Blvd | San Leandro | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Offers a Food Pantry with distribution 1x/mo, Bag Lunch program through April Showers Program monthy, and Dinners at the San Leandro Warming Center (winter). Email about food donations needed/accepted. | |
| Food of God (FOG) | 424 Monte Vista Avenue | Oakland | 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; Cold prepared foods; Hot prepared foods; Bulk foods |
