- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omni Commons | 4799 Shattuck Ave | Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Donations accepted from the public: Canned food, bottled water | |
| OpenHeart Kitchen |
1141 Catalina Way Mailbox 137 (see notes for drop-off location) |
Livermore | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Accepts donations from the public. Shelf-stable food and pantry items or homegrown produce. No perishable food accepted (ex. leftover, homemade, opened packages, pre-prepared). Openheart cannot pick up or harvest produce. Pallet sized donation may be able to be picked-up. | |
| Operation Dignity |
318 Harrison St Ste 302 |
Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Donations accepted from the public: Bottled water. Pre-bagged lunches (with a sandwich, snack, fruit, and beverage), MREs or other ready to eat meals, canned good with and without pop tops, individually packaged: nuts and trail mixes, chips, crackers, protein bars, granola bars. Coffee, tea, peanut butter, bread products (sliced bread or buns), condiments (mayo, ketchup, mustard), jam or jelly | |
| Pantry of Hope |
St Paul's Episcopal Church 114 Montecito Ave |
Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Accepts donations from the public | |
| Peninsula Food Runners | PO Box 460612 | San Francisco | Reuse | Free Drop-off, Free Pick-up | Picks up excess food for free from restaurants, caterers, bakeries, hospitals, event planners, corporate cafeterias, and hotels. If you have excess food from home or a small private event, you can deliver to one of their local shelters. | |
| Project Open Hand (East Bay) | 1921 San Pablo Ave | Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off, Free Pick-up | Types of Food Accepted: Fresh produce; Shelf-stable/Non-perishable foods; Fresh/Frozen groceries, Meat: Milk & Dairy; Bulk foods This Food Recovery Organization is willing to pick up from food donors depending on the location and day. | |
| Replate | PO Box 11338 | Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off, Pick-up for a Fee | 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. This Food Recovery Organization is willing to collect from food donors in: Alameda, Albany, Castro Valley, Berkeley, Dublin, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Sunol, Union City, Outside Alameda County | |
| Restorative Pathways Emergency Shelter (formerly Ruby's Place) | 20880 Baker Rd | Castro Valley | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Donations accepted from the public: Canned goods and non-perishable food of any sort (peanut butter, tuna, cereal, fruits and vegetables, mac & cheese) and goldfish crackers, canned fruit and fruit cup snacks. | |
| San Leandro Community Food Pantry | 14235 Bancroft Ave | San Leandro | 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; This Food Recovery Organization is willing to collect from food donors in: San Leandro, San Lorenzo | |
| San Lorenzo Family Help Center | 20960 Corsair Blvd. | 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 This Food Recovery Organization is willing to collect from food donors in: Alameda, Castro Valley, Dublin, Fremont, Hayward, Newark, Pleasanton, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Union City | |
| 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 | ||
| 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. | |
| South Palo Alto Food Closet | 670 E Meadow Dr | Palo Alto | Reuse | Free Drop-off | ||
| St Francis Center | 151 Buckingham Avenue | Redwood City | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Non-perishable food | |
| St Mary's Center: Food for All Ages | 925 Brockhurst 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. Vincent de Paul Food Reclamation Program (Oakland) | 675 - 23rd St. | Oakland | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Accepts donations from the public | |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| The Salvation Army | 1161 S Bernardo Ave | Sunnyvale | Reuse | Free Drop-off | Non perishable items |
