The Food Bank welcomes food donations from individuals and companies alike. If you would like to make a donation of food as an individual, please click the link at the bottom of this page: Food Drives, 
or consider making a cash donation. If you represent a company in the food industry and would like to make a corporate donation, please read on for more information.
The Food Bank of the Hudson Valley receives several hundred thousand pounds of donated food and non-food items each week from the food industry. No donation is too great or too small. Every donation plays a part in making it possible for the Food Bank to provide over 15 million pounds of food and grocery products each year for hungry and disadvantaged people. The Food Bank has the capacity to serve as your one-stop resource for making optimal use of unmarketable product, giving you the opportunity to conveniently reach nearly 400 non-profit agencies with your donations.
The food industry is the backbone of food banking. Hundreds of local and national companies donate quality food to the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley, including:
The holidays are a time for giving back and helping those in need. For many people, donating a frozen turkey to a local food bank or charity is a holiday tradition. But with so many organizations to choose from, you may be wondering exactly where you can donate a turkey in your community. Keep reading to find out the best places to donate frozen turkeys this holiday season.
Understanding Turkey Donations to Food Banks
Food banks and pantries provide life-sustaining food assistance to millions of people facing hunger across the United States These organizations rely on donations from the community to stock their shelves. Around the holidays, many people want to donate a frozen turkey to help provide a festive meal
However, most food banks do not accept whole frozen turkey donations for various reasons. Turkeys take up a lot of freezer space that food banks need for other items. There are also food safety concerns when accepting donated turkeys from individuals. Finally, food banks can get more bang for their buck by purchasing turkeys directly from wholesalers versus receiving donated ones.
So while the gesture is appreciated, simply dropping off a turkey at your local food bank may not be the best way to help. Instead, food banks recommend making a financial donation so they can purchase turkeys and other holiday foods in the quantities they need.
Check with Local Charities Before Donating a Turkey
While unsolicited turkey donations are usually not accepted by large food banks, some smaller local charities and community organizations may still want them. Places like church food pantries, homeless shelters, senior centers, and youth clubs often provide holiday meals where donated turkeys could be useful.
Before dropping off a turkey, call or email the organization first to see if they can accept it. Ask if they have freezer space or event plans for cooked turkeys. Some may only want turkeys during certain weeks leading up to the holiday. Others may ask you to prepare the turkey or cook it before donating. Make sure to follow any donation guidelines so your frozen turkey can be put to good use.
Here are a few examples of local charities that may accept whole frozen turkey donations:
- Church food pantries
- Homeless shelters
- Youth clubs like the Boys & Girls Clubs
- Senior centers and Meals on Wheels programs
- Small neighborhood food pantries or soup kitchens
- Local veterans support groups
- Women’s shelters
Look for Turkey Donation Drives in Your Community
In some communities, local radio stations, businesses, schools, or other groups may sponsor holiday turkey drives. With these organized drives, the group collects donated turkeys and distributes them to families in need.
Turkey drives are a great option because the sponsor has already identified recipients and made arrangements for storing and handing out the frozen birds. Often donation drives will publicize drop-off locations dates and any requirements for the turkeys such as size.
Here are some places a turkey donation drive may be promoted:
- On local radio stations
- In community newspapers
- Through churches, schools, or community groups
- On flyers at grocery stores, gyms, libraries, etc.
- On city or town social media pages
- On community bulletin boards
If you have a turkey to donate, look and listen for these drives advertised around your town and take advantage of the convenient drop-off options.
Donate Your Turkey to a Food-Sharing App
Food waste is a huge problem, with up to 40% of food uneaten and ending up in landfills. Food-sharing apps aim to prevent waste by connecting people who have extra food with individuals and charities that need it. Apps like Olio, Karma, Food for All, and Feeding America’s MealConnect allow you to quickly donate your frozen turkey to someone local.
After downloading the app, simply:
- Take a photo and enter details about your frozen turkey
- Mark it available for pickup or delivery
- Nearby app users in need can claim it
- Coordinate a pickup time and location through the app
Food-sharing apps redistribute millions of pounds of food each year. So they are a fast, convenient way to find a new home for your extra turkey.
Donate Your Turkey to a Soup Kitchen
Soup kitchens provide warm, prepared meals to community members facing hunger and food insecurity. Some larger soup kitchens have the facilities to cook multiple turkeys for special holiday meals. Call your local soup kitchens to see if any could use donated frozen turkeys for their holiday events. With advanced notice, many can accommodate frozen turkeys into their meal plans and schedules.
Be sure to follow any guidelines on thawing, cooking, or cutting the turkey before dropping it off. Soup kitchens often rely heavily on volunteers with a range of cooking abilities. Having the turkey prepped and oven-ready makes it easier for volunteers to serve up.
Reach Out to Individuals or Families in Need
If you cannot find an organization that needs your extra turkey, consider reaching out to struggling individuals or families in your personal network. Maybe a neighbor lost their job and is struggling to provide holiday meals for their family. Or perhaps a co-worker caring for elderly parents could use some help stocking the freezer.
Connect with your family, friends, social networks, Buy Nothing groups, and community bulletin boards to find someone who would appreciate a donated turkey. Keep in mind any special dietary needs they may have like allergies or preferences for organic, kosher, etc.
Coordinate with Your Company’s Philanthropy Program
Many businesses and corporations have philanthropy programs that support company-sponsored volunteer projects and donations. Reach out to the person or department in charge of corporate social responsibility or philanthropy and ask about donating your extra turkey.
Your company may be planning an existing holiday giving program with a charity partner where they could put the turkey to use in a meal for underserved groups. Or they may be able to connect you directly with a family in need through their community outreach initiatives.
Donate Your Turkey Anonymously
If you prefer to donate your turkey anonymously, that’s totally possible too. Simply leave the frozen turkey on the doorstep or porch of a charity, food pantry, place or worship, or family in need. Attach a note explaining it is a donated turkey for holiday meals.
Just be sure to do this quickly so the turkey does not thaw or spoil before the recipient finds it. Knock or ring the doorbell to notify them that a donation has arrived. This allows you to quickly drop off your turkey donation without any coordination or conversations required.
Partner with Your Local Buy Nothing Group
Buy Nothing groups have exploded in popularity in recent years. These hyperlocal gifting communities connect neighbors by facilitating free exchanges of items, food, and services.
Post about your frozen turkey in your local Buy Nothing Facebook group or app and see if anyone in your own neighborhood needs it. You can easily arrange a contactless pickup or porch drop-off. Buy Nothing also builds community relationships, so you may find yourself on the receiving end of someone else’s turkey donation in the future!
Donate Your Turkey to Meal Delivery Programs
Programs like Meals on Wheels for seniors or mobile meal trucks for the homeless may be able to incorporate donated turkeys into holiday meals. Contact your local programs to see if they could use turkey donations for their holiday menu planning. Ask about any guidelines for preparation, cooking, and delivery.
With hundreds of millions of pounds of turkey consumed during the holidays each year, you may find yourself with an extra bird in the freezer as the festivities approach. Instead of letting it go to waste, consider donating your frozen turkey to one of the many charities and programs looking for holiday food donations. Just be sure to call ahead and follow any preparation or drop-off guidelines. By taking the time to thoughtfully donate your turkey, you can ensure your thoughtful gift helps provide holiday cheer for those in need.
Benefits to Our Food Industry Partners
- Tax Incentive
- All businesses are eligible for a tax deduction for donations of product to the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley. Businesses can deduct from their taxes an amount equal to the cost of the donated items plus one-half their fair market value, or two-thirds the cost, whichever is less. For more information on this tax incentive, call 845-534-5344
- Liability Protection – The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act of 1996
- Protects food donors from liability when donating to a 501©3 non-profit organization
- Protects donors from civil and criminal liability for all product donated in good faith
- Standardizes donor liability exposure
- For more information see The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act
- Convenience and savings in storage, inventory, transportation and dumping costs
- Complete product tracking and recall capabilities
- Product donation receipt showing item(s) and total weight
- Safe Food Handling Training
- The most important reason of all: more than 40,000 people need food assistance each week in the Food Bank’s service area
For more information about making an Industry/Farm donation or to schedule an Industry/Farm donation pick-up or delivery, contact:
What Type of Food is Donated?
The Food Bank accepts donations of shelf-stable, fresh and frozen food, and non-food items such as paper goods, personal hygiene products and cleaning supplies – basically any item available from a grocery retailer, distributor or farm. These products may no longer be marketable, but if they are still good to use and can be safely consumed they are of great value to the non-profits the Food Bank serves. There are many reasons why companies choose to donate, including:
- Production flaws
- Overproduction
- Mislabeling
- Unlabeled product (can be accepted with verification of ingredients)
- Discontinuation of product line
- Pack changes or reformulations
- Code dates – guidelines are researched and followed for safely utilizing close or past dated products
- Cosmetic packaging damages
- Shipping errors
- Deliveries that are not accepted and cannot be returned cost-effectively
- Product samples or test market items
- Unharvested or imperfect produce
The Food Bank can accept virtually any food or non-food product. However, we cannot accept items under the following conditions:
- Product that has been thawed
- Prepared food that has been exposed to public self-service
- Product that has been repackaged, opened or removed from its original packaging
Hospital workers donate frozen turkeys
FAQ
What is the best charity to donate to for Thanksgiving?
Where can I donate a frozen turkey in Phoenix?
Where can I donate a frozen turkey on Long Island?
Why do people buy frozen turkey?
Where can I donate frozen turkeys & hams in New Jersey?
Donate frozen turkeys and hams, as well as holiday trimmings, at a site near you on Saturday, November 18 and Sunday, November 19. You can donate food all over New Jersey – check out the locations on the map above. Be sure to read the list of our most wanted food drive items. Turkey Drive weekend is one of our favorites here at CFBNJ.
Can you donate a frozen turkey to a food bank?
Try volunteering at a food pantry. Or, host a virtual Thanksgiving food drive to spice up your next holiday party. Before donating a frozen turkey to a food bank or pantry this Thanksgiving, learn who is accepting donations and what other ways you can help food banks.
Should you donate frozen turkeys during Thanksgiving?
Unless your local food bank has asked explicitly for frozen turkey donations, consider another way to give back during Thanksgiving. Food safety Feeding America takes food safety incredibly seriously. All the food distributed across the network of food banks, whether perishable or shelf-stable, has been appropriately checked and is safe to eat.
Do food banks donate Thanksgiving turkeys?
Food banks purchase a lot of food in bulk and at reduced wholesale prices. So, the money you would spend on a turkey might be more efficiently used as a donation to the food bank since they could buy a lot more food with it than an individual could at a local store. So, do food banks distribute them if I can’t donate a Thanksgiving turkey? Yes!