Food Donations
Did you know you can receive a tax deduction by donating food? Whether you are donating your surplus of food, emptying your cupboards at the end of the season, or hosting a food drive – we can find a happy home for donated food.
Check out our Food Drive Toolkit for helpful tips on how to make your food drive a success and our highest priority food items by program.
Manna's NO List!
The Manna Food Project will not accept the following items:
- Expired food
- Containers that are already open
- Food in soiled or rusty containers or is missing a label
- Home canned, vacuum-packed, or pickled foods
- Alcoholic or tobacco products
- Baby food or formula
Also note that “Best-by” and “Sell-by” dates are not expiration dates and refer to food quality, not food safety. Food that is past one of these dates can still be donated and our staff will assess viability based on USDA food safety guidelines.
As a general rule of thumb, you should not donate food items unless you would consider them worthy of consuming yourself.
Manna's YES List!
The Manna Food Project can accept most food items, including:
- Nonperishable foods (canned vegetables or fruit, canned or dry beans, canned or pouched meats, cereal, oats, pastas, grains, etc.)
- Produce
- Refrigerated dairy (USDA certified)
- Frozen meats (USDA certified)
- Bulk/restaurant sized foods
While we are grateful for any food donations, please take into consideration the quality and nutritional value of the food. We strive to provide the most nutritious food possible for our food insecure neighbors.
If you are unsure if your food donation will be accepted, don’t hesitate to call Manna at 231-347-8852.