Host A Food Drive

Food Drives, accompanied by a Fund Drive, are a great way to increase the supply of food and resources to neighbors in need. Getting started is easy as 1-2-3!

Step 1:
Register Your Food Drive

It takes just a few minutes! Register Your Food Drive to provide us with information about your drive and request supplies like bins and boxes. Your food drive will be automatically paired with a customizable Fund Drive webpage. The Fund Drive webpage is to accommodate any donor that would prefer to give funds to your food drive rather than food. The usage of this Fund Drive webpage is not required – it is completely up to you and your team!

Step 2:
Get Organized

After you register your Food Drive, think through the start and end of your food drive. Ask and answer Who, What, Where, When, Why, How to ensure a well-planned and successful food drive. Learn about donation drop off, most-needed items in our FAQ.

FAQ

Step 3:
Get The Word Out

Our Toolkit contains everything you will need to have a successful food and fund drive. From a To-Do guide and a list of creative ideas to printable posters, flyers and our official logo – we’ve got all your needs covered.
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Toolkit

fighting food insecurity mother and daughter

Food Drive FAQ

Thanks for your interest in hosting a Food Drive!

Your efforts make an enormous difference in the amount and variety of foods we are able to provide for people facing hunger. Here is a list of frequently asked questions to help you in launching, organizing and running your drive.

How do I get bin/boxes for my drive?

Your nonperishable food donations are not required to be collected in our bins or boxes to conduct your food drive. If you need to use our white food collection bins and brown packing boxes, they can be picked up at our front lobby at 535 Portwall St via appointment. To schedule your appointment, please register your food drive.

Where can I drop off my nonperishable food donations?

Food Drive Drop-Off Option 1: Local Partners

You have the option to drop off food donations at one of our 1,800 partners.

Drop-Off Location

Use this map to find a partner near you.

Drop-Off Days and Times

Please use contact information found on the map above to confirm donation drop off times and procedures.

Note: Hours listed on the map are distribution times, not necessarily full hours of operations.

Food Drive Drop-Off Option 2: Houston Food Bank

You can also drop off at Houston Food Bank – 535 Portwall St. Houston, TX 77029

Dock 10 Drop-Off – Recommended for larger food donations and/or if a poundage receipt is needed:

When: Monday – Friday: 8am – 6pm

Warehouse at Dock 10: A warehouse associate will weigh, and take your information for a poundage receipt.

Lobby Drop-Off – Recommended for smaller food donations and/or if receipt is not needed:

When: Monday – Friday: 8am – 9pm or Saturday: 8am – 4pm

Where: Inside the Houston Food Bank lobby. Volunteers will direct you to where you can drop off once inside. Be sure to bring a mask if not fully vaccinated.

NOTE: We are no longer conducting pick-ups and we ask that you consider the drop off as part of your donation.

You can also visit your local Kroger grocery store and drop your items in the Red Barrel at the front of the store.

Large scale, bulk and retail donations (5 pallets or more from the from the manufacturing, warehouse, agriculture and food service industry) should be coordinated with our Procurement team. If interested in making this type of donation from your company, please call 281-786-2676 or email donateASAP@houstonfoodbank.org. Find out more on our Bulk and Retail Donations webpage.

What are the most needed items?

To make sure that your food drive provides the most nutritious food possible, our Nutrition Services Department recommends that you apply these guidelines:

Use the MyPlate nutrition guide to select nutritious, nonperishable foods. These items are most useful to our member agencies in meeting the nutritional needs of their clients.
For the safety of those we serve, we do not accept opened items, items with expired dates and homemade items. Please view our Most Needed Items list.

Where do my donations go?

Your donations will make a great impact. Their first stop is in our warehouse where we sort, inspect and clean the items donated. Next, donations are packaged for distribution and will help ensure children, families and seniors in our community have the food they need.

Can I donate by cash/check?

People usually want to give money if they cannot give food items and that is wonderful! Please encourage monetary donations as well. Due to our positive relationships with food industry donors and our large volunteer base, $1 provides a full day of meals.

Please reference your group/organization on the check or envelope and send all donations via FedEx, mail, or messenger to:
Houston Food Bank
Attn: Donor Services
535 Portwall Street
Houston,TX 77029

Please note, if you are sending cash, we recommend that you send it via FedEx or messenger.

How do I get my tax donation receipt for my monetary donation?

Individuals who donate online will receive an automated receipt via email. Individuals who send monetary donations to the Houston Food Bank will receive a receipt by mail.