Food Drives

We love when our community wants to get involved! Food drives can be a great way to teach our children about giving back and they are a tangible way for them to make a difference. We happily accept quality, nutritious, unexpired food to use in our emergency food boxes, which we distribute to people affected by a fire, flood, loss of power, or other forms of emergencies. We do not use canned goods collected at food drives at our monthly distribution sites.

We encourage adult groups to consider adding an online donation component to their food drive. By collecting monetary donations instead of food, you will be saving the I.V. Food Bank time and resources that are incurred through physical food drives. Simply share our donation link with your friends, family and followers and the funds raised become meals and other services for people facing hunger in the Imperial Valley. In order to feed 25,000 people a month, we must purchase food in large quantities to make complete meals to give out at over 30 distribution locations. We buy at bulk rates at fractions of retail costs. Rather than pay full price for one can, let us turn that money into multiple cans!

Want to learn more about why you shouldn't donate expired food? Check out the video below.

Top 10 Items Needed from Food Drives:

  • Spaghetti sauce and pasta

  • Peanut butter

  • Cereal

  • Tuna/canned meats

  • Rice

  • Dry beans

  • Milk (shelf stable)

  • Canned meals (soup, stew, chili)

  • Mac & Cheese

  • Canned vegetables

Food Item of the Month

Each month this year, we will be requesting a specific item in addition to our regular food donations. Please consider picking up the item of the month for a local family today! Our office collects donations Monday to Friday from 9AM to 2PM at 486 West Aten Road in Imperial.

January: canned tomatoes

February: beans and lentils

March: spaghetti and sauce

April: canned green beans

May: canned corn

June: tuna

July: macaroni and cheese

August: canned fruit

September: cereal

October: rice

November: instant mashed potatoes

December: peanut butter

Please call Cecilia at 760-3870-0966 or cecilia@ivfoodbank.org to arrange a food drive with barrels and to discuss pick up.