Donate Food
Give food, give comfort
Thank you for your help! Most of the food we distribute is donated by local organizations, schools, houses of worship and generous people like you.
How to donate food
Donations may be dropped off at our warehouse:
2 Executive Drive, Morris Plains, NJ, Monday-Thursday, 9:30am-4:30pm.
Special arrangements can be made by calling 973-538-8049 x236 or emailing kpowell@mcifp.org in advance.
Organize a Food Drive
Tips and Tools are available in our Food Drive Kit (link). If you are donating more than 10 bags of food or have organized a food drive please call Kiley at 973-538-8049 x236 or email kpowell@mcifp.org to schedule a drop off time.
Additional notes
- Please alert our staff if you are bringing ANY perishable items (i.e. refrigerated or frozen food, fresh produce, bread, etc.).
- Certain foods may be used after their “sell by” and “best by” dates. Leave it to our staff volunteers who have been trained in food safety to make the determination!
- When you drop off the donation, please fill out your donation form completely and legibly so we can mail your acknowledgement. This also serves as a tax receipt.
- Please refer to our Food Donation Guidelines for more information on acceptable and unacceptable donations.
- If you are donating produce from your garden please follow these Community Garden and Home Produce Donation Guidelines
- You can also utilize our Produce Harvest Guidelines
Current Food Needs
Shopping? Take our printable everyday pantry needs list with you.
Our Biggest Needs
We currently have a low supply of the following items:
- Pasta
- Tomato products (sauce, crushed, whole, diced, paste, puree, etc.)
- Cereal – lower sugar preferred
- Rice
- Parmalat or equivalent shelf-stable milk (1-qt size)
- Soups – All varieties
- Tuna fish, salmon and other canned fish
- Dry milk (1-qt. packages)
- Baby food – stages 2 and 3
- Baby diapers – size 3, 4, 5 and 6
Fruits & Vegetables
Look for fruit canned in its own juice or with “no sugar added”.
Look for vegetables with “low sodium” or “no salt added”.
- Canned Vegetables (green beans, corn, peas, mixed vegetables, etc.)
- Spaghetti / pasta sauces
- Tomato products (sauce, crushed, whole, diced, paste, puree, etc.)
- Canned Fruit
- 100% Fruit juice (32 oz. preferred)
- Fresh produce from your garden (uncooked)
Grains
Donate whole grains as often as you can!
- Cereal – low sugar, high fiber preferred
- Oatmeal
- Pasta
- White Rice / Brown Rice (1 or 2 lb bags preferred)
Dairy
Donate shelf-stable low-fat (1%) or non-fat dairy products.
- Parmalat or equivalent shelf-stable milk (1-qt size)
- Dry milk (1-qt. packages)
- Evaporated milk
- Calcium-fortified milk alternatives such as soy, rice or almond milk
Protein
Look for “no salt added”, “low-sodium” and canned in water.
- Canned beans – pork and beans, pinto beans, red or white kidney beans, black beans, etc.; NOT green beans
- Tuna fish, salmon and other canned fish
- Peanut butter – 15-18 oz preferred
- Canned meats and meals – ravioli, spaghetti & meatballs, hash, stew, canned chicken, chili, etc.
Side Dishes
- Rice-A-Roni, Pasta-Roni, etc.
- Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, etc.
- Instant Potatoes
- Stuffing
- Macaroni and Cheese
Soups
Look for “low-sodium” and “Heart Healthy”
- Condensed varieties
- Hearty varieties
Baby Items
- Infant formula (Enfamil preferred-yellow, blue)
- Baby food – Stage 1 (meats & meals, vegetables, fruits), Stage 2 (meats & meals, vegetables, fruits), Stage 3 (meats & meals, vegetables, fruits)
- Baby cereal – rice, oatmeal
- Diapers – size 3, 4, 5 and 6
- Baby wipes
Specialty Items
- Healthy Snacks (i.e. Belvita Breakfast Biscuits, Granola Bars, Wheat Thins, Ritz Crackers)
- Boost or Ensure, regular
- Boost Glucose Control or Glucerna
- Tea (100 count boxes)
- Resealable (i.e. Ziploc) sandwich bags and quart sized plastic bags
- Paper Towels
