Just Food relies on community support to do what we do. Our pantry is stocked by individual donors, food recovery from local grocery stores, farmers and gleaners and purchases made from donations by our community supporters.
Donating wholesome foods keeps food out of the landfill and gets it on the table for Douglas County families.
What products can I donate to Just Food?
Just Food accepts donations of unopened non-perishable and unspoiled food from homes and businesses. Produce from your backyard garden as well as backyard eggs are greatly appreciated. Additionally, we accept donation of diapers, wipes, menstrual support products, kitchen utensils, appliances, and other kitchenware. Donations of partially used packages of diapers and menstrual support products are welcomed. We gladly accept donations of empty egg cartons and shopping bags to best serve our shoppers.
What if the food is past its printed date?
We gladly accept food donations past their 'best before' dates as long as their is no evidence of spoilage. The sniff test is the best way to determine if you should still donate food product. You can also refer to this helpful guide to food safety.
"Manufacturers provide dating to help consumers and retailers decide when food is of best quality. Except for infant formula, dates are not an indicator of the product’s safety and are not required by Federal law. With an exception of infant formula, if the date passes during home storage, a product should still be safe and wholesome if handled properly until the time spoilage is evident. Spoiled foods will develop an off odor, flavor or texture due to naturally occurring spoilage bacteria. If a food has developed such spoilage characteristics, it should not be eaten." (source: USDA)
Incentives for Businesses to Donate Food
If your business has excess inventory of wholesome, edible foods, they can be donated to Just Food. These donations can help your business, get folks the food they need, as well as keeping food out of the landfills, helping the environment as well. There are three federal provisions to encourage these types of donations:
Internal Revenue Code 170 of 2011:
Qualified business taxpayers can deduct the cost to produce the food and half the difference between the cost and full fair market value of the donated food. In December 2015, the U.S. Congress passed the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act, making permanent and extending the enhanced tax deductions to all businesses, including C-corporations, S-corporations, limited liability corporations (LLCs), partnerships, and sole proprietorships.
Federal Food Donation Act of 2008:
For federal agencies and their contractors, this act specifies procurement contract language that encourages the donation of excess wholesome food to eligible nonprofits to feed food-insecure people in the United States.
The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996
The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act of 1996 encourages the donation of food and grocery products to nonprofit organizations for distribution to needy individuals. The Act exempts “persons and gleaners” who make good faith donations of food to nonprofit organizations that feed the hungry from liability for injuries arising from the consumption of the donated food.
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