FOOD DRIVES

Help nourish our community by collecting food & funds!

Click Here to Register Now!

Starting Your Food Drive

A great way to double your impact is to combine your Food Drive with an Online Fundraiser! You can set up a Team or Individual Fundraising Page and customize it with the details of your collection. Then you can share it with coworkers, family, and friends, so that people can help solve hunger even if they aren't physically there to donate a food drive item!

 

If you are collecting ONLY FOOD, you can keep it offline and feel free to have fun collecting! We do not offer boxes or bags for your food drive. Please use boxes with a sturdy bottom that can be easily transported.

 

Posters

Our Most Needed Items Include:

  • Fruits and Vegetables: Canned Fruit in Juice, Low Sodium Canned Vegetables)
  • Proteins: Dry Whole Beans, Lentils, Canned Chicken in Water, Canned Tuna in Water, All Natural Peanut Butter
  • Grains: Whole Grain Cereal, Oatmeal, Whole Grain Pastas, Brown Rice
  • Staples: Instant Breakfast Drink Mix (No Sugar Added), Low Sodium Pasta Sauces, Low Sodium Soups, Spices & Seasonings

     **NO GLASS CONTAINERS PLEASE**
 

Please note that Northern Illinois Food Bank will be closed on December 23 & 24 in observance of the winter holidays.

Dropping Off Your Collection

When all the food is collected, you'll drop off the boxes at a Food Bank Center or at member food pantry.

Unfortunately the Food Bank cannot send a driver to pick up most food drives.

1. At a Food Bank Center

The Food Bank has four Food Bank locations: Geneva, Park City, Joliet, & Rockford.

 

For small or medium collections
Up to ~6 boxes or would not easily fit in a rolling cart

  • Smaller drives can use the Contactless Food Drive Drop-Off at each Center.
  • These designated drop-off areas are accessible during public business hours (typically Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 3 PM).
  • Supporters can visit the Food Bank and deposit their food donation in the cart stationed near the entrance.
  • There are donation receipts available if you would like to keep one for your records.

 

For large size collections
~6 boxes or would not easily fit in a rolling cart

  • Contact a staff member to coordinate a drop-off time so that we can assist you.
  • Please provide at least a few days' notice when scheduling your drop-off time to allow us to coordinate the appointment with our warehouse staff.

2. At a member Food Pantry

If you are not located near a Food Bank Center, we suggest donating the food to one of the 900+ member food pantries in our network.

 

  • Use the Food Pantry Locator tool to find the nearest member pantries to your location.
  • Select the most convenient location and then the tool will provide the pantry's contact information.
  • Coordinate directly with the pantry to drop-off the food donations.

 

Questions?

Contact Molly Speckman at mspeckman@northernilfoodbank.org or 630-443-6910 ext. 196