DONATE FOOD

Helping Harvest depends on monetary and food donations in order to end hunger in our community. Your generosity enabled us to distribute $20.7 million of food in 2024.

Thank you for your interest in donating food and/or conducting a food drive for Helping Harvest! Food donations play a critical role as we continue our mission to feed neighbors experiencing food insecurity in Berks & Schuylkill counties.

 Conducting a food drive for Helping Harvest:

To conduct a food drive, please first fill out our Food Drive Information Form. You can find out more about the process of conducting a food drive in our Food Drive Manual. Any additional questions or concerns may be addressed to our food drive coordinator and development assistant, Bethany Ream at bream@helpingharvest.org or 610-926-5802 x217.

Virtual food drive information:

For the first time ever, starting in 2025, we partnered with #GiveHealthy to offer virtual food drives. This is a great option for those in remote work environments or others with participants scattered across multiple locations who wish to host a food drive. You just have to fill out the form on the Helping Harvest #GiveHealthy Page, then your food drive participants can choose real items – such as a bag of apples – to donate to your drive, that will later be delivered to our warehouse. Doing a virtual food drive for us through #GiveHealthy is a free and easy way to donate fresh produce as well as non-perishables!

 Helping Harvest seeks food donations from:

• Individuals, companies, schools and organizations holding food drives.
• Food manufacturers, distributors and retail stores with surplus and imperfect, yet edible, product.
• Farmers (and home gardeners) with excess harvest.

 Other food donation information:

• Receiving hours are Monday through Friday 9am-3pm, excluding holidays at our warehouse (117 Morgan Dr. Reading, PA)
• Appointments are not needed to drop off food drive donations.
• For small amounts of shelf-stable items, a food drop box is available at any time outside our warehouse.
• All other food donations (excluding food drives and small personal donations), including industry partners with large donations, should contact Deb Mest, Chief Product Sourcing & Advocacy Officer, at 610-926-5802 x205 or dmest@helpingharvest.org to make arrangements.

 Most needed food donations:

While all food donations are appreciated, here are some of our most needed items. Please, no glass containers, as they are prone to breaking.

• Cereal
• Peanut butter
• Grains (rice, oatmeal etc.)
• Pasta
• Fruit juices
• Canned goods:
  • Tuna
  • Meats (chili, stew, etc.)
  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Soups

Food banks and their donors are protected from the liability under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act passed by Congress in 1996. All food donors will receive a letter acknowledging their donation which can be used for tax purposes.                                        Donations may offer tax benefits as allowed by law.