Foodbanks: The First Line of Defense Against Food Insecurity
About Cans For Candy
Local food-bank support—primarily through simple, recurring canned-food drives—is one of the most fundamental grassroots defenses against hunger because it keeps relief immediate, community-powered, and resilient. When neighbors collect shelf-stable food, they create a reliable buffer for families facing sudden hardship, job loss, medical bills, or rising living costs. Unlike large national systems that move slowly, local drives fill shelves quickly and consistently, reinforcing the food bank’s ability to respond in real time. They also build civic habit—teaching kids and adults alike that small, repeated acts of generosity add up to genuine safety for vulnerable households. This is the core purpose of www.cansforcandy.org
Food Banks in the United States
Our Mission
More Local Options
Our Mission
According to the USDA, in 2020, 6.7% of all U.S. households reported using a food pantry, an increase from 4.4% in 2019. For some, food pantries are a source of emergency aid to solve a hunger crisis. For others, food pantries supplement low-income families with nutritious meals. Anyone can support their local pantry or organization. What's important is to get started.
Our List
More Local Options
Our Mission
Some of the larger organizations that provide food and pantry services are listed below.
Our lists and maps below are not comprehensive and just a start. Countless organizations are in our local communities, and may not be listed in our maps or tables.
More Local Options
More Local Options
More Local Options
All of them play an important part in getting food to the people who need it. For example, 48% of U.S. congregations either had their own food-distribution program or supported efforts run by another organization, such as a food bank or food pantry. That’s over 150,000 congregations in the United States.
List of Most Prominent Food Banks
By State or Territory
- Alabama Community Food Bank of Central Alabama 205-942-8911 https://www.feedingal.org
- Alaska Food Bank of Alaska 907-272-3663 https://www.foodbankofalaska.org
- Arizona Central Arizona Shelter Services (602) 256-6945 CASS AZ
- Arizona UMOM New Day Centers (602) 275-7852 UMOM
- Arizona Save the Family Foundation of Arizona (480) 898-0228 Save the Family
- Arizona House of Refuge (480) 988-9242 House of Refuge
- Arizona Phoenix Rescue Mission (602) 346-3384 Phoenix Rescue Mission
- Arkansas Arkansas Foodbank 501-565-8121 https://www.arkansasfoodbank.org
- California Alameda County Community Food Bank 510-635-3663 https://www.accfb.org
- California California Association of Food Banks 510-272-4435 https://www.cafoodbanks.org
- California Community Action Partnership of Orange County 714-897-6670 https://www.capoc.org
- California Feeding San Diego 858-452-3663 https://www.feedingsandiego.org
- California Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano 925-676-7543 https://www.foodbankccs.org
- California Foodbank of Santa Barbara County 805-967-5741 https://www.foodbanksbc.org
- California Fresno Community Food Bank 559-237-3663 https://www.communityfoodbank.net
- California Food Bank of El Dorado County 530-621-9950 https://www.foodbankedc.org
- California Imperial Valley Food Bank 760-370-0966 https://www.ivfoodbank.org
- California Interfaith Food Bank 209-223-0900 https://www.feedamador.org
- California Los Angeles Regional Food Bank 323-234-3030 https://www.lafoodbank.org
- California Placer Food Bank 916-783-0481 https://www.placerfoodbank.org
- California Redwood Empire Food Bank 707-523-7900 https://www.refb.org
- California San Francisco-Marin Food Bank 415-282-1900 https://www.sfmfoodbank.org
- California Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County 949-653-2900 https://www.feedoc.org
- California Second Harvest of Silicon Valley 408-266-8866 https://www.shfb.org
- California SF-Marin Food Bank 415-282-1900 https://www.sfmfoodbank.org
- California Yolo Food Bank 530-668-0690 https://www.yolofoodbank.org
- Colorado Food Bank of the Rockies 303-371-9250 https://www.foodbankrockies.org
- Connecticut Connecticut Food Bank 203-469-5000 https://www.ctfoodbank.org
- Delaware Food Bank of Delaware 302-292-1305 https://www.fbd.org
- Florida Feeding South Florida 954-518-1818 https://www.feedingsouthflorida.org
- Georgia Atlanta Community Food Bank 404-892-9822 https://www.acfb.org
- Hawaii Hawaii Foodbank 808-836-3600 https://www.hawaiifoodbank.org
- Idaho The Idaho Foodbank 208-336-9643 https://www.idahofoodbank.org
- Illinois Greater Chicago Food Depository 773-247-3663 https://www.chicagosfoodbank.org
- Indiana Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana 317-925-0191 https://www.gleaners.org
- Iowa Food Bank of Iowa 515-564-0330 https://www.foodbankiowa.org
- Kansas Kansas Food Bank 316-265-3663 https://www.kansasfoodbank.org
- Kentucky Gods Pantry Food Bank 859-255-6592 https://www.godspantry.org
- Louisiana Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana 504-734-1322 https://no-hunger.org
- Maine Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine 207-782-3554 https://www.gsfb.org
- Maryland Maryland Food Bank 410-737-8282 https://www.mdfoodbank.org
- Massachusetts The Greater Boston Food Bank 617-427-5200 https://www.gbfb.org
- Michigan Feeding America West Michigan 616-784-3250 https://www.feedwm.org
- Minnesota Second Harvest Heartland 651-484-5117 https://www.2harvest.org
- Mississippi Mississippi Food Network 601-973-7088 https://www.msfoodnet.org
- Missouri St. Louis Area Foodbank 314-292-6262 https://www.stlfoodbank.org
- Montana Montana Food Bank Network 406-721-3825 https://www.mfbn.org
- Nebraska Food Bank for the Heartland 402-331-1213 https://www.foodbankheartland.org
- New Hampshire New Hampshire Food Bank 603-669-9725 https://www.nhfoodbank.org
- New Jersey Community FoodBank of New Jersey 908-355-3663 https://www.cfbnj.org
- New Mexico Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico 505-247-2052 https://www.rrfb.org
- New York Food Bank For New York City 212-566-7855 https://www.foodbanknyc.org
- North Carolina Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC 336-784-5770 https://www.secondharvestnwnc.org
- North Dakota Great Plains Food Bank 701-232-6219 https://www.greatplainsfoodbank.org
- Ohio Mid-Ohio Food Collective 614-274-7770 https://www.midohiofoodbank.org
- Oklahoma Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma 405-972-1111 https://www.regionalfoodbank.org
- Pennsylvania Philabundance 215-339-0900 https://www.philabundance.org
- Puerto Rico Banco de Alimentos de Puerto Rico 787-740-3663 https://www.bancodealimentospr.org
- Rhode Island Rhode Island Community Food Bank 401-942-6325 https://www.rifoodbank.org
- South Carolina Lowcountry Food Bank 843-747-8146 https://www.lowcountryfoodbank.org
- South Dakota Feeding South Dakota 605-335-0364 https://www.feedingsouthdakota.org
- Tennessee Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee 615-329-3491 https://www.secondharvestmidtn.org
- Texas Central Texas Food Bank 512-282-2111 https://www.centraltexasfoodbank.org
- Utah Utah Food Bank 801-978-2452 https://www.utahfoodbank.org
- Vermont Vermont Foodbank 802-476-3341 https://www.vtfoodbank.org
- Virginia Blue Ridge Area Food Bank 540-248-3663 https://www.brafb.org
- Washington Food Lifeline 206-545-6600 https://www.foodlifeline.org
- Washington Northwest Harvest 206-625-0755 https://www.northwestharvest.org
- Washington Second Harvest Inland Northwest 509-534-6678 https://www.2-harvest.org
- Washington Thurston County Food Bank 360-352-8597 https://thurstoncountyfoodbank.org
- Washington Bellingham Food Bank 360-676-0392 https://www.bellinghamfoodbank.org
- Washington Hopelink 425-869-6000 https://www.hopelink.org
- Washington St. Leo Food Connection 253-383-5048 https://www.foodconnection.org
- Washington Clark County Food Bank 360-693-0939 https://www.clarkcountyfoodbank.org
- Washington Shelton Family Center 360-426-9726 https://www.sheltonfamilycenter.org
- Washington Blue Mountain Action Council Food Bank 509-529-3561 https://www.bmacww.org
- Washington DC Capital Area Food Bank 202-644-9800 https://www.capitalareafoodbank.org
- West Virginia Mountaineer Food Bank 304-364-5518 https://www.mountaineerfoodbank.org
- Wisconsin Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin 414-931-7400 https://feedingamericawi.org
- Wyoming Food Bank of Wyoming 307-265-2172 https://www.foodbankrockies.org/wyoming/
Why Volunteer?
Volunteering not only benefits the organization and community, but also provides personal benefits such as building new skills, making new connections, and improving mental health. Join Cans For Candy and see the positive impact you can make.
Our ready-made templates are simple, easy to follow, and a fun activity for your friends and family.