Donate Food

Individuals, organizations and businesses, including commercial food companies, are encouraged to donate food to the East Texas Food Bank Monday through Thursday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (closed for lunch from 12:00 noon until 1:00 p.m.) or Fridays from 8:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. To have food picked up or to donate, contact Rosemary McClain, Director of Food Resources, by phone 903.597.3663 or e-mail rmcclain@feedingamerica.org.

There are many ways individuals and groups can donate food to the Food Bank, and any amount will do! Donated food will be combined with other food products to complete nutritious meals for area children, adults and senior citizens.

What you can do

Learn about Food Drive recipients
Information about starting a Food Drive
Donate to our Virtual Food Drive

Organize a Food Drive: Businesses, churches, schools, civic organizations, apartment complexes and other groups are encouraged to sponsor food drives any time of the year. What can my business do?

The East Texas Food Bank also sponsors major food drives throughout the year you can donate to:

• Sweet Sunday Peanut Butter Food Drive with Area Churches
• National Letter Carriers Association Food Drive
• The John Tyler and Robert E. Lee High School Pantry Raid
• Tyler Independent School District - Elementary School Food Drive
• All Saints Episcopal School Food Drive
• St. Gregory Fun Run Food Drive

Donate Food directly to the Food Bank: Anyone can donate - individuals, restaurants, corporate cafeterias, bakeries, supermarkets, coffee bars, wholesalers and distributors, hotels and caterers. Individuals and communities should consider donating non-perishable items such as canned fruits, vegetables, meats, and soups, dried beans, peanut butter, rice, or boxed pasta. Food companies might additionally consider giving perishable items such as bakery goods, fresh fruit and vegetables, juices, dairy products, frozen meats and vegetables,etc.

Retail stores are welcome to donate as well. Some items to consider donating might include damaged products, discontinued, slow-moving or promotional/end- of-season items, misrotated products, pack changes or reformulations, product samples, close date product, customer turndowns, unlabeled or mislabeled items, or products with cosmetic or production errors. Food Donor Protection Acts

Some reasons to consider donating: The key reason to donate is to do something good for those in need. However, there are many other sound business reasons to donate food or grocery products to the East Texas Food Bank. Individuals and businesses might consider donating in order to:

• Begin a cause-related marketing campaign
• Increase product and/or brand name value retention
• Increase employee morale
• Take advantage of tax benefits