As the temperatures continue to cool and the holiday spirit picks up, gratitude and giving are in the air. Warm the heart and the belly of children and families across the state by donating your time, or non-perishable foods, to one of the many food banks, pantries and kitchens open now. Keeping reading for a list of a few places to get started:

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Arizona Food Bank Network

The Arizona Food Bank Network (AzFBN) is a coalition of 5 regional food banks and nearly 1,000 food pantries and agencies, working together to address hunger in Arizona. Each month this network helps feed more than 700,000 food insecure people in all 15 counties in Arizona.

Food banks across the state are experiencing unprecedented levels of need, and are in need of volunteers to pack food boxes and help with distributions.

Volunteer locations:

  • Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona: 3003 S. Country Club Rd., Tucson, AZ, 85713
    • Volunteers can sign-in for a shift here: Community Food Bank Volunteers. Note that registration is required. Opportunities are kept current in the system and include supporting distributions.
  • United Food Bank: 358 E. Javelina Ave., Mesa, AZ, 85210
    • Sign up to volunteer today. 
    • Opportunities available for individuals, families and large groups, with shifts available between 9am-8pm, Monday through Saturday
  • St. Mary’s Food Bank
    • Main warehouse: 2831 N. 31st Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85009
      • Monday–Friday: 9am–11am and 1pm–3pm
      • Saturday: 8am–10am and 12pm–2pm
      • Volunteers will help pack emergency food boxes.
    • Knight Center: 3131 W. Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ, 85017
      • Monday–Friday: 7:30am–10:00am, 10:00am– 12:30PM
      • Volunteers will help distribute food to clients using an outdoor drive-thru model. 
    • St. Mary’s-Surprise: 13050 W Elm St, Surprise, AZ, 85378
      • Different shifts to support open hours Monday–Friday: 7:00am–1:30pm 
      • Volunteers will help distribute food to clients using an outdoor drive-thru model.
  • Yuma Community Food Bank: 2404 E. 24th St., Yuma, AZ, 85365
    • Monday–Friday: 7am–12:30pm
    • Application needed – click here to access
    • Contact the food bank in advance to schedule: 928-259-2216
  • Desert Mission Food Bank: 9229 N 4th St., Phoenix, AZ, 85020
    • Schedule ahead and contact us to learn more! To volunteer, please contact volunteers@honorhealth.com or go here and click “Desert Mission” to submit a request form.

Hope For Hunger Food Bank-Phoenix Rescue Mission

Every day, Hope for Hunger Food Bank provides emergency food along with case management and job assistance for roughly 200 families each day in Glendale and parts of Phoenix and Peoria.

If you have a food donation:

  • We accept food donations at Hope for Hunger Food Bank during our open hours, 8:00 am to Noon, Monday through Friday, or our Donation Warehouse, 11:30a-3:30pm, Monday through Friday
  • We do not accept expired food, homemade, or large bulk donations that cannot be separated for individual use
  • We do not accept previously distributed Hope for Hunger food items
  • If you’d like to host a food drive, you can access needed items here.
  • If you would prefer to make a monetary donation in support of the ongoing work taking place at Hope for Hunger

PV Community Food Bank

PV Community Food Bank’s mission is to provide food assistance to those individuals who are living in northeast Phoenix with food insecurity and hunger on a daily basis and who live in the 98 sq miles of the PV Unified School District.

The ITEMS MOST NEEDED to maintain our nutritionally balanced food boxes include:

  • Canned chicken
  • Spaghetti sauce
  • Peanut Butter
  • Tuna
  • Cold cereal
  • Pasta
  • Breakfast bars (Granola, Kind, Nutrigrain, etc.)
  • Canned chili, beef stew, canned pasta
  • Canned Fruit

Additionally, non-food items are also needed:

  • Bars of hand soap
  • Toilet tissue
  • Shampoo
  • Toothpaste
  • Toothbrush

Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona

We always need healthy, non-perishable food donations. Learn more about how to host your own food drive, or check our searchable map to find a drop-off location for food donations near you.

  • Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona has dozens of non-perishable food drop-off locations please click here to find one nearest you.

We thank you for thinking of us when looking for food drop-off locations for your non-perishable food donations! Your donations make a difference for our community.

Flagstaff Family Food Center

When you volunteer with the Family Food Center, you’re supporting access to nutritious food today, and you’re building community power to eliminate hunger for good.

3 Ways to Signup:

Volunteer roles at food banks:

  • Food Box Distribution
    • Provide food boxes to families at our outdoor, drive-thru distribution! Volunteers load carts with groceries and place food into cars.
  • Produce Box Packing
    • Pack boxes with healthy produce for our food distributions! Requires standing during the entire shift. Great activity for people looking for an active, fast-moving event!
  • Neighborhood Distribution
    • Come assist at one of our nine mobile distribution sites throughout the community! Volunteers hand out groceries to clients, take in client information & help build grocery boxes.
  • Sandwich Delivery
    • Transport and distribute pre-packed lunches—including sandwiches, fruit, and snacks—to various locations throughout the Flagstaff community. You’ll load deliveries, follow a provided route or map, and ensure that each site receives the right number of lunches.
  • Dinner Service
    • Help serve nutritious hot meals to Flagstaff families! Volunteers help portion food into to-go containers, hand dinners out to clients through our walk-up window, and wash serving pans.
  • Food Prep & Lunch Service
    • Help prepare lunches and support our kitchen’s daily operations! This includes making peanut butter & jelly or meat and cheese sandwiches, packing lunches for our sandwich delivery shift, and assisting with meal prep—such as chopping fruits & vegetables.