Retail Store Donation Program

The Retail Store Donation Program is a strategic initiative that enables the Southeast Texas Food Bank to increase our emergency food distribution by collecting food from participating grocers that would otherwise be thrown away. Because of strict guidelines, stores often need to discard items even though they are nutritious and completely safe to eat. These goods are then distributed to our agencies in our 8-county wide service area.

The Southeast Texas Food Bank works with participating stores to procure these otherwise expensive and difficult to obtain items such as meat, dairy, produce and baked goods – enabling low-income residents throughout Southeast Texas to prepare well-balanced nutritious meals for themselves and their families.

The program also exemplifies green business practices by redistributing fresh products that would unnecessarily become waste. Approximately one million pounds of high quality, nutritious food that might otherwise be discarded each year is rescued and delivered to where it’s needed most. The Southeast Texas Food Bank follows all necessary food safety guidelines, transports product via our fleet of refrigerated trucks and inspects donated product at pick-up and distribution points.