Corporate Food Donations
What do food manufacturers, retailers, distributors, restaurants and caterers do when they have surplus food products? They donate the food to the Food Depository!
A study completed by the United States Department of Agriculture in 1997 indicated that more than one-quarter of the food produced in the United States – or 96 billion pounds – goes to waste. Hundreds of Hampton Roads area companies are saving money and eliminating waste by donating their surplus and imperfect, yet edible, products to the FoodBank .
Donations of items due to surplus production, discontinuation, imperfect or underweight packaging, quality control and approaching expiration dates offer nutritious food to those in need while providing a tax deduction and cost-savings in warehousing and disposal charges for food that otherwise would end up in a landfill. The Foodbank of the Virginia Peninsula is equipped to accept donations of dry, refrigerated and frozen products. We also accept non-food, personal care items such as shampoo and toothpaste, and household items such as paper goods and cleaning supplies. We'll even pick up the donation, saving the company transportation expenses.
Perishable, prepared foods from grocers, restaurants and caterers are picked up by drivers, who are certified in food handling and safety, and are immediately delivered to a soup kitchen that can incorporate the donation into its food distribution program.
Food donations are tax deductible and the donor companies are protected from liability under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donor Act of 1996, which was established in 1981. Donating also demonstrates the company's commitment to giving back to the community.
For more information, contact Loretta Jones or Bill Fite, Food Resource Director, 757-596-7188. Donors will be asked for the following information:
Donor Information:
Product information:
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Product description, state of the product (dry, refrigerated, frozen, fresh), code date
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Amount of donation, including case weight, number of cases, number of pallets
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Brief reason for the donation: inventory surplus, approaching code date, salvage, quality control
Pick-up information:
Location, contact name and number, special instructions, date product is available for pickup, date by which the product must be picked up, bill of lading number (if applicable)
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