Give Food

Second Harvest relies on people like you to help feed the approximately 25,000 children, seniors, working poor and people with disabilities who turn to our member agencies each month. With your help, Second Harvest warehouses and distributes food to 125 food pantries, soup kitchens and other food assistance programs throughout a 19-county area.

Every donation helps fight hunger in Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas community. Second Harvest offers a variety of ways to make large and small donations as an individual, food drive or food company.

Individuals (Single Donations)

Moving? Cleaning? Extra food in your pantry? Picked up something extra at the store?  Second Harvest and our network of 125 member agencies always appreciate the generosity of individuals who want to make a difference. Whether it is a few cans from your pantry or a few boxes of household supplies, Second Harvest will gladly accept your donation and distribute it to where it is most needed.

All donated food items must be:

• In their original, unopened packages
• Within the expiration date on the package
• In plastic jars or containers, not glass
• No homemade food items can be accepted
• Non-food items that are new or in gently used condition only

How to Make a Single Donation:

Contact Second Harvest to schedule a time to drop off your donation.

Pick ups can be arranged for large food item donations. For additional information, please contact Kathy Shuster by email or phone --816.364.3663 x 204.

Next time you’re at any Apple Market or Green Hills grocery store, think about picking up a few extra items for our Barrels of Hope and Feed the Need campaigns. Look for the red barrels inside the stores.

Food Drives

Holding a food drive is a fun and easy group activity and helps give people a sense of social responsibility. Food drives also provide critically needed nonperishable food throughout our area.

We will be happy to work with your organization to provide food drive boxes and barrels, materials and a Second Harvest representative to come out to speak to your organization about the difference your efforts can make for our neighbors in need.

For more information on how to organize your own food drive, contact Melissa Leander by email  or phone -- 816.364.3663 x 208.

Food Drive Resources

For all your food/fund drive planning needs, please use the Coordinator’s Manual. There are also other resources listed below:

• Most Needed Items List
  This informational flyer lists the types of foods we are looking for and can be used to promote your food drive.
• Food Drive and Commitment Form
  Please fill out the commitment form and return to Second Harvest for supplies.
• Food Drive Poster
  Available to you to print; contact Melissa Leander if you need this altered or need posters printed.

Regardless of how you set up your food drive, have fun with it and let people you are working with know how valuable their contribution is to the people we serve.

Together we can help end hunger at home.

Food Company Donations

Second Harvest serves as a solution provider for your company by accepting food donations that can lead to cost savings, tax benefits and media exposure, while protecting your company from liability. Second Harvest also accepts nonfood donations, such as office equipment, to help our member agencies and the clients they serve.

We urge you to join your peers in donating food and nonfood products to Second Harvest. To make a food donation or take a tour of our warehouse, please contact Kathy Shuster.

Why Donate Food

Donating food makes good business sense. Here are just a few reasons:

• TAX DEDUCTION: The 1976 Federal Tax Law (H.R. 10612) permits you to deduct all of the costs of producing, packaging and delivering your products — plus up to 50 percent of the difference between the cost and the fair market value.
• COST SAVINGS: In salvaging food and other products, your company eliminates dumping costs.
• INVENTORY CONTROL: A food donation can help reduce your surplus of hard-to-move inventory, and inventory that can be eaten but not sold.
• COMPANY PROMOTION: Second Harvest promotes our food donors through a variety of communications and marketing materials, from our newsletters and website to event signage and press outreach.
• COMMUNITY GOODWILL: Your support and goodwill will win you the respect of the community.
• PROUD STAFF: Employees feel good about their company's role in making a difference in their community.

How to Donate Food

Making a food donation to Second Harvest is time and cost efficient:

• EASY CONTACT: Contact Kathy Shuster, inventory coordinator, at 816.364.3663 x 204.
• EFFICIENT DISTRIBUTION: Your donation will be quickly distributed to needy people through our member agencies, which are monitored and trained to ensure that donated product does not reenter the marketplace.
• INSTANT FEEDBACK: Your donation will be tracked, documented and receipted.
• LEGAL PROTECTION: Your company is protected from liability by the Good Samaritan Act.

What to Donate

Second Harvest accepts anything from cases to truckloads of dry-stored, nonperishable, cooler, or frozen food and nonfood items. Call Second Harvest if your products are:

• Surplus
• Cosmetically damaged
• Mislabeled or unlabeled
• Code-dated
• Discontinued, test-market and private-label brands
• Underweight or overweight items
• Seasonally packaged
• Bulk packed