The Second Harvest Food Bank has a food donation page, http://www.donatefood.org, which takes mostly unopened food, but they do have a Second Helpings program for leftovers. The sites below I found by calling them directly.
| Charity Name | Phone Number/Address | Contact Name | Dropoff Hours | Pickup Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Anthony's Padua Dining Room | 650-365-9664 3500 Middlefield, Menlo Park (3-4 mi. N of Willow) |
no contact name | 8-4 M-S | no pickup | large building at end of parking lot |
| Urban Ministries Food Closet | 650-325-3663 All Saints Church, Waverly and Hamilton, Palo Alto |
Mike Soto, 650-324-5359 (coordinates party leftover pickup) | 10-3:30 M-F | 10-3:30 M-F | Call main number to talk to the manager (different each day), or to see if a given donation is suitable. Will pick up only if leftover food will feed 60 or so people. Advance notice desirable. |
| Meals Program | 650-325-3663 Drop-in center at Red Cross Building near MacArthur Park at the end of University, Palo Alto |
Mike Soto | ? | ? | ? |
| Second Harvest Food Bank | 408-266-8866 750 Curtner, San Jose
650-610-0800 |
Cindy McCowan | 7-5 M-F (some Saturdays; call) | 7-5 M-F (some Saturdays; call) | Accepts fresh produce, and *unopened* perishables,
bulk items, and frozen items. Items must be within
freshness date. In mid-November hours will likely be expanded for the holidays -- call. Large party pickups can be coordinated through the Second Helpings Program (call the Food Bank number). |
NOTE: The health department prohibits major organizations from collecting or distributing food that has been out on a tray. Call to see if your donation will be accepted.