Food Drives and Food Banks in New York

Helping out the hungry this Thanksgiving is more important than ever before. Here are the food banks and food drives you can donate to or volunteer at this holiday.

By Melissa Wickes November 30, 2020

This holiday season, so many New Yorkers than any normal year are struggling as a result of COVID-19. Over 2.4 million New York State residents, or 11.9 percent, are food insecure, according to Food Bank NYC. The good news is, when the going gets tough, New Yorkers band together to help out and there are plenty of food banks in New York that your family can donate to. If you are unable to connect with any of the below, ask your local parish or other place of worship if they are collecting food items this Thanksgiving.

Food Banks and Food Drives in NYC
Food Banks and Food Drives on Long Island
Food Banks and Food Drives in Westchester
Food Banks and Food Drives in Rockland

Food Drives and Food Banks in NYC

Food Bank for New York City

Use this tool to search for soup kitchens, food pantries, or senior centers near you to contribute to. More than 1.5 million New Yorkers in need have benefited from Food Bank for New York City. You can also host your own food drive through Food Bank NYC with your organization, individually, or through your school.

Feeding NYC

Just a $35 donation (either via check or online) will provide a family with a Thanksgiving meal including a whole turkey, stuffing, gravy, vegetables, juices, and dessert!

The Bowery Mission

Through a monthly or one-time donation, you can provide meals for hungry men, women, and children in New York City. You can also make food donations at the Bower & Tribeca locations from Monday-Saturday, 7am-7pm.

Camba

Donation options range from two weeks of healthy groceries for a hungry family and SAT prep to textbooks and independent living skills classes.

Hour Children

You can volunteer your time with Hour Children by being a translator, mentor, tutor, mock interviewer, and so much more. The services Hour Children offers does not stop at the pantry. It also hosts the local Long Island City CSA, allowing local farmers to deliver fresh produce directly to customers, connects local farmers to the food pantry via Local Produce Link, offers cooking demonstrations, and so much more.

Part of the Solution (POTS) Bronx

Make a one time donation of $25 to Part of the Solution Bronx to help more than 40,000 low-income people, including 9,000 children, with groceries for nine meals. You can also volunteer your time to help bag produce, move boxes, and pack lunch.

Project Hospitality

Make a one time donation, a recurring donation, volunteer, or donate food and supplies to Project Hospitality on Staten Island to ensure every family has a good holiday this year. For Thanksgiving, they are looking for Turkeys and all other Thanksgiving food items. For Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and 3 Kings, gifts are needed for men, women, and children.

City Harvest

City Harvest accepts donations to help feed NYC families or you can become an individual or group volunteer. To start your own food drive with City Harvest at your school, apartment building, business, or place of worship, email [email protected].

NY Common Pantry

New York Common Pantry helps to reduce hunger and promote dignity, health, and self-sufficiency. This Thanksgiving, donate money toward Thanksgiving meals or volunteer at Manhattan and Bronx Choice Pantry sites. You can also volunteer to rescue food waste to provide to those who need it. Pro tip: When making a donation, make sure to ask your company if they will match it!

Food Drives and Food Banks on Long Island

Long Island Cares

Long Island Cares brings together all resources necessary to help the food insecure on Long Island. You can register to volunteer at a food bank this Thanksgiving or donate. To host your own food drive, visit the Host a Food Drive page for registration and tips.

Bethpage Turkey Drive

The annual Bethpage Turkey Drive to benefit Island Harvest Food Bank will take place Friday, Nov. 20 from 7:30am-4pm. It will be a no-contact donation car drive-through at Bethpage Federal Credit Union at 899 S. Oyster Bay Road in Bethpage.

Share Your Blessings Food Drive in Freeport

This food drive is currently in ended of turkeys, canned ham, oven-stuffer chickens, gravy, stuffing, cornbread mix, white and sweet canned potatoes, rice, canned pumpkin, corn, string beans and greens, pie crust shells and cake mixes, coffee, tea, and juice. For more information, call 516-868-4989.

Food Drives and Food Banks in Westchester

Lifting Up Westchester

Donate a virtual grocery bag to a hungry or homeless community member this holiday season. $25 feeds 1-2 people, $50 a family of four, $100 a family of 6+.

Feeding Westchester

Donate 75, 150, 225, 300, 1,500, or 3,000 meals to those in need with a click of a button. You can also host your own Feeding Westchester event, start a fundraiser, or donate food. The most needed food items this holiday are stuffing, macaroni and cheese, canned sweet potatoes, brown or white rice, canned mixed vegetables, juice, cranberry sauce, gravy, corn muffin mix, cake mix, canned or dried fruit, and potatoes. Be sure to look out for labels that read low sodium, no sugar added, reduced sodium, lite, no salt added, unsweetened, and 100% fruit juice.

Ossining Food Pantry

The Ossining Food Pantry is accepting monetary donations for groceries for families in need, non-perishable foods like rice, cereal, soup, tuna, peanut butter, and canned vegetables, and volunteers. If you wish to organize a food drive, call 914-762-5510 or contact Ossining Food Pantry via website.

Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry

Donate or volunteer your time to help Westchester families with staples like frozen proteins, eggs, milk, and fresh produce.

Ecumenical Emergency Food Pantry at Trinity Lutheran Church

The food pantry is accepting canned goods and nonperishables on Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment.

Food Drives and Food Banks in Rockland County

Bach to Rock Music School Nanuet Thanksgiving Music Event & Food Drive

Join Bach to Rock Music School Nanuet on Nov. 21, 1:30-3:30pm for an afternoon of musical activities, games, karaoke, instrument exploration, and even learn to DJ at their Thanksgiving Music Event & Food Drive. All ages are welcome and kids/adults alike will leave learning something new within the world of music! Families are asked to donate non-perishable/canned food items as entry to the event. Bach to Rock Music School Nanuet will be donating to a local food pantry to support families in need this Thanksgiving season.

Rockland Community Against Hunger

Use this website to find food pantries and feeding programs throughout Rockland if you would like to donate food or volunteer your time.

Sloatsburg Food Pantry

To organize a food drive on behalf of the Food Pantry, contact them at [email protected]. Thethe most needed items vary at different times. You can also make a monetary donation.

Croton-Cortlandt Food Pantry

Make a donation to the all-volunteer organization or volunteer your time to give out food and unload food trucks.

Catholic Charities Community Services Rockland

The CCC Food Pantry provides food to Rockland residents for three meals and is open three times a week. You can donate on their website.

Rockland Jewish Family Service

Make donations to the food pantry on the website.