When the pandemic hit, people loaded up their carts with canned food, cereal, and other essential supplies, but millions didn’t have the means to purchase food in bulk or large quantities. Now, there are people in need year-round, and local food banks have been hit hard by inflation and economic uncertainty.
Panera Bread
Panera Bread is one of the local places that donate food to local food banks. Each year, the sandwich ‘n’ salad chain donates about 800,000 meals to needy people. After the store closes, they pack their leftover food and give it to local soup kitchens, food banks, and shelters. Panera also packages its unsold bread and donates it to local hunger relief organizations.
Panera Bread holds food drives throughout the year. The company also helps local nonprofits by offering special Community Breadbox collection containers in their bakery cafes. This program allows customers to donate up to 20% of their food and beverage purchases to these organizations. More than 3,800 organizations have participated, raising more than $390,705 as of 2021.
The restaurant’s largest franchisee, Covelli Enterprises, has teamed up with Harvest for Hunger to provide food for those in need in the area. Through the “Buy One, Give Two” campaign, Panera will donate two meals of soup or bread to local nonprofits. The food donation program will benefit the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank, and the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio. The company also donates more than $30 million of leftover baked goods yearly, including bread, to nonprofit organizations such as the Volunteers of America Manna House.
In addition to donating food, Panera Bread is also working to reduce food waste. Their Day-End-Doughnation program helps to meet the UN’s Global Goals of Zero Hunger and Responsible Consumption. Panera Bread stores collect the bread and pastries left over after work days and donate them to local nonprofits. Not only does Panera Bread support local communities and help alleviate food waste, but it’s also good for the environment.
Another way for Panera Bread to help the community is through its ongoing partnership with Feeding America. This program helps feed children in need by providing freshly prepared meals to families and individuals in need. The organization has been able to scale this model up to serve more than 65,000 meals daily. The company is looking for additional partners to feed children in need during the summer.
Donations to this cause are welcome at any Panera Bread location. The donation boxes at the front of the stores will accept nonperishable food items, canned food, and frozen turkeys. In addition to Panera Bread, local food banks like Roslyn Savings Bank and Bristal Assisted Living are also accepting donations.
Panera Bread is a popular choice for food donation. The company’s 1,400 locations are also a great place to donate. Panera Cares cafes are similar to other Panera Bread locations but are operated by a nonprofit and are entirely based on donations. Customers are asked to pay a suggested amount but can also choose to pay whatever they can afford. Those who cannot afford to donate but still want to support the cause can volunteer for an hour in exchange for a meal.
FeedMore
FeedMore is a nonprofit organization that collects food and distributes it to needy neighbors. They work in 29 counties and five cities across Central Virginia. They are a proud member of Meals on Wheels and Feeding America. You can make a difference by donating food items to these local nonprofits.
You can find FeedMore food drives throughout the country. You can also donate canned goods and nonperishable items in sturdy boxes to the organization. They accept food donations at their Richmond campus and Midas auto repair shops. And if you don’t have the time to make a trip to your local grocery store or food drive, you can drop off donations at a FeedMore location.
FeedMore WNY has helped residents by providing emergency and children’s food bags. In addition to mobile food pantries, the organization has also run pop-up food distributions in the neediest neighborhoods. These distributions have been concentrated in areas where pantries have closed due to the flu or other illnesses.
Island Harvest
During the summer months, food insecurity can be especially acute for hundreds of thousands of Long Island families. Increased food costs and the pandemic have added to the difficulty of food insecurity, which Island Harvest works to alleviate through emergency feeding programs. Food donations can help those in need.
To give back to your community and to help end hunger, consider donating to Island Harvest. Their programs aim to provide nutritious food for the homeless, the elderly, and others in need. They also offer a variety of programs aimed at preventing hunger. For seniors, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) is designed to ensure seniors get the nutritious foods they need to remain healthy. Other programs include Long Island Cares, a mobile outreach program that delivers emergency food to children, the elderly, and the homeless.
Long Island’s hunger crisis is exacerbated by rising food costs and supply chain issues. As a result, the food bank is struggling to provide healthy food to those in need. With your help, Island Harvest can purchase more fresh, nutritious food and offer supportive services to those in need. In addition to food donations, Island Harvest also welcomes volunteers.
PSEG Long Island and Stop & Shop have teamed up this summer to host the Power to Feed Long Island food drive. PSEG Long Island employees have been acting as ambassadors, encouraging Long Islanders to support their neighbors struggling with hunger. It is estimated that each dollar donated will provide two meals. Donations can be made by bringing nonperishable food items to collection bins at each collection site. These items can include canned vegetables, healthy varieties of canned foods, spices, and even pet food.
The Island Harvest food bank also offers a Senior Mobile Food Pantry that delivers nutritious food directly to those in need. This mobile food pantry provides food to seniors across the Island and improves access to healthy food. Senior Mobile Food Pantry volunteers also help the food bank restock during times of crisis.
