Donate Food
MANNA FoodBank depends upon the generosity of the food industry. MANNA recovers excess products from manufacturers, wholesalers, growers, packers, distributors, supermarkets, and trucking companies. Local food industry partners such as Ingles, Wal-Mart, CustomPak, Food Lion, Milkco, Earth Fare, Greenlife, and many others, support us our efforts to end hunger in Western North Carolina.
If you are a member of the food industry who would like to make a donation, please call us today to schedule a pick-up at: 1-877-299-FOOD (3663)
Benefits of Product Donation
Donating food creates many benefits for your business and our community.
- Put products to good use instead of to waste
- Reduce storage and disposal fees
- Your donation are tax deductible, as allowed by law
- Enhance inventory control by reducing hard-to-move products and unsaleables
- Boost employee morale
- Foster community goodwill
- Protect brand integrity
Accepted Products
We are able to accept all types of fresh, dry, refrigerated, and frozen foods. Non-food items such as paper products, cleaning supplies, and health and beauty aids are also accepted. We gladly accept product that is safe for consumption, yet unsaleable due to:
- Close code dates
- Mislabeled products
- Surplus production
- Discontinued products
- Shipping errors
- Un-harvested or post-peak produce
- Cosmetic damages
- Imperfect packaging
- Production flaws
Who Benefits from Food Donations?
MANNA FoodBank distributes the products to 255 charitable organizations that feed people in need throughout Western North Carolina. These include: food pantries; homeless shelters; soup kitchens; day care centers; and senior citizen feeding programs.
Donor Protection
The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, passed by Congress in 1996, protects citizens and businesses who donate apparently wholesome food or an apparently fit grocery product in good faith to a nonprofit organization for distribution to people in need.
Quick and Professional Response
We can respond quickly, usually by the next business day. Pallet exchange can be provided.
We have a fleet of dock high, refrigerated vehicles and full-time drivers. Our warehouse has a 500 pallet capacity, with a 40 pallet drive-in freezer and 37 pallet drive-in cooler. A team of community volunteers inspect, clean, sort, label, and repack donations.
Safe Food Handling
Your food donation is in good hands. We have almost thirty years of safe food handling experience. We are Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) compliant. Key FoodBank staff and all certified member agencies are trained in safe food handling.
There are many ways in which you, as an individual, can directly participate in improving the lives of those facing hunger in Western North Carolina. The most direct way in which you can have an impact is by donating food. Create a habit of buying a few extra cans when you go to the grocery store. Keep a box by your front door where you deposit these extra cans and when the box is full, bring it on over to MANNA FoodBank.
Backyard gardeners can plant an extra row for the hungry. Take your extra produce to MANNA or call MANNA for a listing of agencies in your town.
