What is a Good Donation to a Food Pantry?
That Depends!
Every food pantry in Bergen County is unique in terms of what they provide for their guests. Most pantries, however, can provide much more than cans and shelf-stable items.
In a recent survey conducted by the Office of Food Security, over 80% of Bergen County's pantries have refrigeration capacity and 76% have freezers, allowing them to accept donations of perishable items and fresh produce.
Below is an interactive map that shows the Pantries in Bergen County that have refrigerators and/or freezers on site, as well as other insights from our 2024 Food Pantry Survey.
Donate Food!
47 out of 58 pantries that responded to our survey (81%) reported that their primary source of food is from private individual donations.
Top 5 Requested Items*:
- 36 responded Fresh Produce (62%)
- 27 responded Grocery Store Gift Cards (47%)
- 25 responded Meat (45%)
- 24 responded Shelf-Stable Proteins (41%)
- 23 responded Hygiene Products (40%)
*From a survey of 58 Food Pantries in Bergen County
Donate... your time!
About 90 % (53 out of 58) of the pantries that responded to our survey will accept new volunteers. Volunteer your time at a local pantry to help organize donations, distribute food and essential items, translate, etc.
Build a relationship with your local food pantry to fill their shelves according to their specific needs. Spread the word about ongoing levels of hunger in our community, and help your local pantry gain support from surrounding communities. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE, PLEASE ARRANGE A TIME TO DROP-OFF WITH THE PANTRY BEFOREHAND.