Donate Food

Our services rely on food donations of fresh produce, proteins, and pantry staples from individuals, groups, and businesses.

Food donations can be dropped off at either of our locations:

Monday through Friday

8 a.m.–2 p.m.

9311 Gaither Road

Gaithersburg, MD 20877

An after-hours drop box is located outside the main entrance for shelf-stable (no refrigerated or frozen) items.

Monday through Friday

8 a.m.–4 p.m.

12301 Old Columbia Pike
Suite 200

Silver Spring, MD 20904

During business hours, you can leave shelf-stable (no refrigerated or frozen) items in our pod located in the parking lot.

Most needed foods

Grains
Protein
- Canned tuna, salmon, or chicken (in water)
- Dry or canned beans (low-sodium)
- Natural nut butters
Fruits and vegetables
- Canned vegetables (low-sodium)
- Canned fruit (in juice)
- Fruit cups
Other healthy items
- Shelf-stable individual milk boxes
- Cooking oil and spices

Here’s how long we can distribute donated foods past their best by or sell by dates:

Item	Past best by or sell by date
Baking mixes	8 months
Dry beans and nuts	1 year
Cereals and crackers	1 to 2 years
Uncooked pasta and rice	1 to 2 years
Canned high-acid foods (for example, peaches, tomatoes, and juice)	12 to 18 months
Canned low-acid foods (for example, meat and vegetables)	2 to 3 years
Food in glass or plastic jars	2 to 3 years

We care greatly about the health of our community and ask that you do not donate soda, cakes, cookies, or candy. We also do not accept the following:

Alcohol
Foods canned, picked or preserved at home
Damaged cans (for example, sharply dented, swollen, bulging, leaking, or rusted)
Repackaged bulk foods
Foods in containers without labels
Foods in opened or torn containers
Spoiled foods (for example, browning, unusual appearance, unusual odor)
Foods that have been exposed to fire, flooding, excessive heat, smoke, radiation, or other environmental contamination