Food Vendor Donations

You’ll want to partner with local food banks and food rescue organizations. Make sure they’re 501(3)c corporations. Find a list of places local to Bronxville HERE.

Most Food Donation Programs require working with several food banks, since each accepts different kinds of food and operates on different pickup schedules. By partnering with several organizations, businesses can develop programs that allow them to donate a variety of food products.

It’s best to contact each organization by phone and make sure they accept the kind of food you have to offer. Then arrange to visit their facility. Start to establish a relationship with one contact person, get a sense of their operation, and begin to discuss logistics.

Businesses must follow all food safety protocols. You may already have trained staff who can ensure that all donations are stored properly, and at the correct temperature, before they’re picked up. The food organizations you work with can help as well.

Be sure to set up an inventory control system, so that food flows out regularly and you don’t incur further waste by letting some items languish on shelves.

Take time to train your staff and get them invested in the project. They’ll be vital to making it a success!

Once your Food Donation Program is operating, arrange to haul the food you can’t rescue to an organic composting facility. By keeping food scraps out of an incinerator or landfill, you’ll be turning a waste into a resource and helping to produce a rich soil amendment--compost. Find a list of haulers below.

You may not be required to set up a Food Donation Program under New York State’s Food Donation and Food Scrap Recycling Law, which says that organizations producing two tons of wasted food per week must donate as much as possible and compost the rest. Many institutions, including hospitals and schools, are exempt. No businesses or institutions within the Village of Bronxville must comply. Still, it’s good for business and our shared environment to make Food Donation Program and Food Scrap Recycling part of your regular operations.

If you start a program, the Bronxville Green Committee will help promote! Email us at bxvgreencommittee@gmail.com.