Food Drives
We love when our community wants to get involved! Food drives can be a great way to teach our children about giving back and they are a tangible way for them to make a difference. We happily accept quality, nutritious, unexpired food to use in our emergency food boxes, which we distribute to people affected by a fire, flood, loss of power, or other forms of emergencies. We do not use canned goods collected at food drives at our monthly distribution sites.
Top 10 Items Needed from Food Drives:
Spaghetti sauce and pasta
Peanut butter
Cereal
Tuna/canned meats
Rice
Dry beans
Milk (shelf stable)
Canned meals (soup, stew, chili)
Mac & Cheese
Canned vegetables
We encourage adult groups to consider adding an online donation component to their food drive. Simply share our donation link with your friends, family and followers and the funds raised become meals and other services for people facing hunger in the Imperial Valley. In order to feed 25,000 people a month, we purchase food in large quantities to make complete meals to give out at over 30 distribution locations. We buy at bulk rates at fractions of retail costs. Rather than pay full price for one can, let us turn that money into multiple cans!
Want to learn more about why you shouldn't donate expired food? Check out the video below.
Food Item of the Month
Each month this year, we will be requesting a specific item in addition to our regular food donations. Please consider picking up the item of the month for a local family today! Our office collects donations Monday to Friday from 9AM to 2PM at 486 West Aten Road in Imperial.
January: canned tomatoes
February: beans and lentils
March: spaghetti and sauce
April: canned green beans
May: canned corn
June: tuna
July: macaroni and cheese
August: canned fruit
September: cereal
October: rice
November: instant mashed potatoes
December: peanut butter
Please call Cecilia at 760-3870-0966 or cecilia@ivfoodbank.org to arrange a food drive with barrels and to discuss pick up.