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Food Donations From Companies

Food industry partners can make commercial food donations to feed our community.

Your business can be a part of the solution to end hunger.

Hundreds of thousands of people in Cook County live in food insecure households – but no one should go hungry. Manufacturers, growers and retailers can donate food and products to feed our neighbors facing hunger.

FAQS

Why Your Company Should Donate Food and Other FAQs

  • Provide food and hope for our community. Food insecurity rates are still surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Thousands of families across our community are turning to our network for food, many for the first time. Your donations provide our neighbors with nutritious foods. Learn more about hunger in our community.
  • Benefit your business. Donating food can save you on warehousing and disposal costs, reduce surplus or hard-to-move inventory/unsaleable products, and help you become a corporate social responsibility leader. The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donor Act of 1996 and the Illinois Good Samaritan Food Donor Act of 1981 encourage companies to donate healthy food and protects donors from liability.
  • Food donations entitle companies to tax deductions. There are financial incentives to encourage eligible businesses to donate surplus food. The Greater Chicago Food Depository is a 501(c)3 charitable organization and provides donation receipts you can use to deduct the cost of your food donation and up to half of your normal markup. Donors are advised to consult with their tax advisor in applying the appropriate deduction.
  • Improve your sustainability efforts. The FDA estimates U.S. food waste at between 30-40% of the food supply. By donating surplus food, you are not only helping to feed families in need, but you are keeping quality food out of waste streams and landfills, eliminating the methane emissions produced by rotting food and protecting the use of resources such as fresh water and soil nutrients.

If you are unable to donate goods, monetary gifts are always welcome and support our food purchasing and distributions of nutritious foods to our community.

We recommend you host a virtual food drive to make an immediate difference to end hunger in our community. It’s an easy and fun way to provide food where it’s needed most. If you would prefer to hold a traditional food drive, learn more about drop-off locations and needed items.

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

Angelic Organics

Angelic Organics, a local organic Community Supported Agriculture vegetable and herb farm, encouraged their generous shareholders and friends of the farm to help donate excess of their fresh produce to the Food Depository! Each gifted box contained more than 40 pounds of organic carnival squash, red potatoes or yellow potatoes. Thanks to Angelic Organics – and their partners – for providing close to 26,000 pounds to feed our neighbors facing hunger!

Help Provide Food and Support to Your Community

Be a part of the solution. Donate food and products to support our neighbors in need.

Retail food rescue Donations from businesses