- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meal Connect (Feeding America) |
35 E Upper Wacker Dr #2000 |
Chicago | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Feeding America's MealConnect links your food donations with local nonprofits. | |
| New Life Christian Church | 1265 B Street | Hayward | Reuse | Free Drop-off, Free Pick-up | 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 | |
| South County Homeless Project | 258 West A St. | Hayward | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Donations accepted from the public: Pantry items, dry goods, & fresh food | |
| Contra Costa Food Bank | 4010 Nelson Ave. | Concord | Reuse | Free Drop-off | ||
| Alameda Backyard Growers | 2501 Shoreline Dr | Alameda | Reuse | Free Pick-up | Project Pick. Donate the excess fruit on your backyard trees. Volunteers will leave you fruit from their pick. Has gleaning program using trained volunteers to pick backyard fruit in the City of Alameda and donate it to the City of Alameda Food Bank. Volunteer your fruit trees to be picked and/or volunteer to pick fruit. | |
| Daily Bowl | 525 H St | Union City | 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 | |
| Dorothy Day House | 1931 Center St | Berkeley | Reuse | Free Drop-off | 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 | |
| Food Cowboy app | 4938 Hampden Lane | Bethesda | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Food Cowboy uses mobile technology to safely route surplus food from wholesalers and restaurants instead of landfills. | |
| Community Food Giveaway (Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church) | 1203 Willow St | Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Accepts donations from the public | |
| Bananas |
5232 Claremont Ave Parking lot in rear |
Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Donations accepted from the public: Non expired baby formula & food and coupons | |
| El Cerrito Recycling + Environmental Resource Center | 7501 Schmidt Ln. | El Cerrito | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Non-perishable, unopened donations for the Contra Costa Food Bank, within a year of listed date accepted. No glass containers. | |
| 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. | |
| Faces of the East Bay | 4130 Telegraph 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. | |
| Chow Match App | PO Box 460612 | San Francisco | Reuse | Free Mail-in | 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. Operating in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. | |
| La Familia Counseling Service (Hayward Family Resource Center) |
680 W Tennyson Road Wing B |
Hayward | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Accepts donations from the public | |
| Brighter Beginnings (Oakland Artthaus Center) |
2744 E. 11th Street Suite H01 |
Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Donations accepted from the public: Non expired baby formula & food and coupons. | |
| Ecumenical Hunger Program | 2411 Pulgas Ave | East Palo Alto | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Call for pick up. Non-perishable food and frozen meat.,Currently accepting donations of only food, toiletry, household cleaning and gift card and new/packaged items due to the COVID-19 crisis. | |
| Alameda Food Bank (City of Alameda) |
650 W Ranger Ave Suite D |
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 | |
| 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. | |
| First Presbyterian Church of Hayward (South Hayward Parish) | 27287 Patrick Avenue | Hayward | 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 |
