Frequently Asked Questions

Working together to ensure that everyone in our communities has the nutritious food they need every day.

The Greater Cleveland Food Bank solicits donated food and other products from food manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and community groups. We also raise the funds necessary to purchase meals at the best rate to serve as many meals as possible to those in need. Each dollar provides four nutritious meals.

Then we distribute the food to nearly 1,000 partner programs that serve those struggling with hunger in Northeast Ohio. We serve Ashtabula, Ashland, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Richland counties.

More than 450 local organizations donate food to the Food Bank each year, including manufacturers, grocery store chains and other organizations.

The Greater Cleveland Food Bank also receives donations from food wholesalers, distributors, Feeding America, local food drives such as Harvest for Hunger, restaurants, caterers and other sources, such as the United States Department of Agriculture and the Ohio Food Purchase Program.

In 2018, the Greater Cleveland Food Bank distributed food and essential non-food products to nearly 1,000 hunger relief programs in six counties.

Food insecure people in Northeast Ohio including children, the working poor, the unemployed, the elderly, the homeless and the chronically ill.

Agencies are charged a "shared maintenance fee" for some of the items they order. Some items, such as produce, bread, yogurt are distributed to member agencies for free. Other nonperishable food items cost up to 9 cents per pound. This shared maintenance fee covers some, but not all, of the costs associated with food solicitation, repackaging and distribution. We must recoup the additional expenses through our fundraising efforts.

As an example, a member agency can get a box of cereal at the Food Bank for about 9 cents. If agencies were to purchase a box of cereal at a supermarket, they could pay $3.50 or more for the same item.

No fee is ever charged to hungry families.

The Food Bank works closely with other Northeast Ohio hunger relief organizations, providing food and nonfood products to hunger centers administered by the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland, the Catholic Hunger and Shelter Network, and the Salvation Army, among others. The Food Bank was a founding member of the Greater Cleveland Committee on Hunger, and distributes all the food collected in Cuyahoga County during the annual Harvest for Hunger campaign.

Cash is the most needed item. For every dollar donated, the Greater Cleveland Food Bank can distribute four nutritious meals to hunger people in our community. You can make a secure, online donation here.

An appointment is not needed to drop off food. We are able to accept food donations Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:30-3:30 at our facility, located at 15500 South Waterloo Road, Cleveland, 44110. Please pull around to the back of our building and up to the first truck door on the right (marked “All Donations”), ring the bell outside the door and a member of our warehouse staff will be out to assist you. Our staff will unload and weigh the items in order to provide you with a receipt for the donation.

Please mail financial contributions to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank at 15500 South Waterloo Rd., Cleveland, OH 44110. Your donation is tax-deductible as provided by law.

Volunteers are needed to sort and repack food donations, assist with office work, serve on committees, and help with special events.

Learn more about volunteering.

Families are welcome, but children under 12 years of age may only attend during a family night event.

Learn more about volunteering.

It is very important that you contact the Volunteer Services team at 216.738.2069 ahead of time to schedule your visit. This way, a project will be ready for you when you arrive at the Food Bank. Please also note that many evening and Saturday volunteer shifts are filled in advance.

Learn more about volunteering.

We have a variety of volunteer shifts. Please call us at 216.738.7240.

We are located at 15500 South Waterloo Rd., Cleveland, OH 44110

Please call us at 216.738.2265 or email us.

Yes! A gift of stocks or bonds can be a great way to help feed hungry families in your community, save on taxes and receive a charitable deduction. Please contact our Donor Relations team via email or at 216-738-2056 for stock transfer instructions.

*This information is not professional tax or legal advice. Please consult an advisor about your specific situation.

95% of donations – a combination of donated food and financial donations – go directly into programs and services that help meet the needs of our community. We work to use gifts efficiently, striving to keep administrative and fundraising costs at only 5% of our total food and financial donations.