Edible Food Donation and Recovery

Food recovery means collecting edible food that would otherwise go to waste and redistributing it to feed people in need. Feeding hungry people through food recovery is the best use for surplus food that would otherwise go to waste and a vital way for California to conserve resources and reduce waste thrown in landfills.  Californians send 11.2 billion pounds of food to landfills each year, some of which was still fresh enough to have been recovered to feed people in need. While billions of meals go to waste, millions of Californians don’t have enough to eat. 

To reduce food waste and help address food insecurity, SB 1383 requires that by 2025 California will recover 20 percent of edible food that would otherwise be sent to landfills, to feed people in need. The law directs the following:

  • Jurisdictions must establish food recovery programs and strengthen their existing food recovery networks
  • Food donors must arrange to recover the maximum amount of their edible food that would otherwise go to landfills
  • Food recovery organizations and services that participate in SB 1383 must maintain records

Humboldt County Food Pantries and Food Recovery Organizations

Food for People works throughout Humboldt County to eliminate hunger and improve the health and well-being of our community through access to healthy and nutritious foods, community education and advocacy. Their website in Spanish can be found here. The following organizations also provide supplemental groceries to households as well as accept donations of edible food:

 

Food for People (Willow Creek Pantry)

Willow Creek Community Resource Center 38883 Hwy 299

Willow Creek

(530) 629-3141

on average 3670 per month. This could range by month with some being as much as 10,000 pounds per month

Humboldt State University "Oh Snap!" **

Recreation and Wellness Center Room 122 HSU Campus 1 Harpst St

Arcata

(707) 826-4565

N/A

Bridgeville Community Center **

38717 Kneeland Road

Bridgeville

707-777-1775

N/A

St Joseph Health Loleta Community Resource Center  

700 Loleta Drive

Loleta

707-733-5239

1000 - 5000

Blue Lake Community Resource Center

111 Greenwood Ave

Blue Lake

707-668-4281

5,000-8,000lbs per year.

Carlotta Healthy Start Community Center

300 Wilder Road

Carlotta

707-768-3860

Unknown

Eureka Choice Pantry

 2112 Broadway

Eureka

(707) 407-0447

on average 3670 per month. This could range by month with some being as much as 10,000 pounds per month

Eureka Rescue Mission-Men’s Program (Meal)

110 2nd St

Eureka

707-443-4551

10,0000-25,0000

Food for People Dinsmore

Route 36 mile marker 42.5

Dinsmore

(707) 777-1775

on average 3670 per month. This could range by month with some being as much as 10,000 pounds per month

 

Food for People Orick Elementary School

120918 Hwy 101

Orick

(707) 488-2803

on average 3670 per month. This could range by month with some being as much as 10,000 pounds per month

Salvation Army

2123 Tydd St.

Eureka

707-442-6475

200-300 lbs per month

Southern Humboldt Family Resource Center

344 Humboldt Ave.

Redway

707-923-1147

Unknown. 4 pallets of food per month. 120 bags of food a week. Serve 75-80 school age families, 30-40 homebound seniors pair up with Meals on Wheels.

Yurok Food Distribution 

190 Nelson Lane

Crescent City

(707) 464-1852

22000 lbs per month

St. Vincent De Paul Society's Free Dining Facility **

35 3rd Street

Eureka

707-445-9588

N/A

College of the Redwoods Food Pantry **

 

Eureka

(707) 476-4616

N/A

Eureka Rescue Mission-Women & Children’s Program (Meal)

107 3rd St

Eureka

707-443-5016

10,0000-25,0000

Betty Kwan Chinn Day Center

1333 7th St

Eureka

707-407-3833

Unknown, mainly receive donations from Starbucks. Feed around 500 people per week from their kitchen.

Food for People (Senior Brown Bag)

307 W. 14th St

Eureka

707-445-3166 x 303

on average 3670 per month. This could range by month with some being as much as 10,000 pounds per month