WAYS TO GIVE
Give Now
Help us end hunger in Orange County. More than 90 cents of every dollar we spend goes directly to feeding the hungry.
Give Monthly
Pledge weekly, monthly or yearly and become a CommUNITY Circle member to help us ensure that families, children and seniors don’t go without the food they need.
Give Food*
Donated food from manufacturers, retailers, distributors, farmers, packers and others helps us feed hundreds of thousands of people every month.
*PLEASE NOTE: In order to maintain the highest level of food, volunteer and staff safety, we can no longer accept individual food donations at our distribution center. Currently we are only able to accept pallet and truckload quantities of food from commercial vendors. If you’d like to make individual donations of food, please click here to find a food pantry near you that will accept your donation.
OTHER WAYS TO GIVE
There are many more ways to help Second Harvest ensure all are well fed in OC.
For any questions about giving to Second Harvest Food Bank, please contact Lisa James, Development Director, at 949-208-3199 or [email protected].
GIVING BY CHECK
If you would like to make a donation by check, please make it payable to Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and mail it to:
Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County
Attn: Development Department
8014 Marine Way
Irvine, CA 92618
FOR DONORS WHO SENT US GIFT(S) BY CHECK:
We will provide an Annual Statement that lists your charitable gift(s) from the prior year for your records by the end of February. If you would like a gift receipt before then, please email us at [email protected] and we would be happy to provide one.
DONATE CRYPTOCURRENCY
Second Harvest now accepts crypto! Donating cryptocurrency is a non-taxable event, meaning you do not owe capital gains tax on the appreciated amount and can deduct it on your taxes. This makes Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency donations one of the most tax-efficient ways to support Second Harvest.
To donate cryptocurrency now, click here.
LEGACY GIVING
You can make a lasting impact for years to come on the lives of local food-insecure children, families and seniors by including Second Harvest in your will.
This free estate planning tool makes it simple to get started. You can write a legal will or trust at no personal cost and include the necessary language to ensure all are well fed in Orange County for years to come.
If you’ve already created a gift in your will or trust, please let us know by filling out this form!
You may also name Second Harvest as a beneficiary of a retirement or savings account, life insurance policy or charitable trust.
Click here for more detailed information or contact Christine Montevideo, Senior Development Manager:
Call 949-208-3150 or email [email protected].
DONATE STOCKS, SECURITIES & MUTUAL FUNDS
Donations of stock can be made by utilizing our free online resource or by contacting your broker and requesting that the desired number of shares be transferred electronically to Second Harvest’s account.
Our online stock giving resource makes it simple to get started. You can learn more about your potential tax savings, access our Depository Trust Company (DTC) information and complete the necessary paperwork online to support Second Harvest and our hunger relief efforts with a gift of stock. Learn more and access our transfer information here.
Watch this quick video to learn more about The benefits of giving stock.
IRA ROLLOVER
On December 18, 2015, the IRA Charitable Rollover was passed by Congress and signed by the President, making it a permanent law.
The bill, known as the PATH Act, is retroactive to December 31, 2014. It allows taxpayers aged 70 1/2 or older to donate up to $100,000 directly from their Individual Retirement Account to a charity without treating the distribution as taxable income.
This online resource makes it easy to learn more about your potential savings, fill out the necessary paperwork and complete your IRA gift to ensure all are well fed in Orange County.
HONORARY GIFTS
Honorary gifts are a great way pay tribute to those you love. Your donation will ensure that children won’t go to bed hungry and seniors won’t have to choose between food and medication.
You can make a gift that gives back in the name of a loved one. Honorary gifts celebrate birthdays, anniversaries or the memory of loved ones. Please contact Christine Montevideo, Senior Development Manager: Call 949-208-3150 or email [email protected] to find out more.
WORKPLACE GIVING
You can help end hunger through your company’s workplace giving program and if your company has a matching gift program, you can double your impact.
Check with your Human Resources Department to see if your company offers a matching gift program. Just mail or fax your company form to:
Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County
Attn: Development Department
8014 Marine Way
Irvine, CA 92618
Fax 949.653.0700
For more information on how to donate through workplace giving, click here.
IN-KIND DONATIONS
Second Harvest welcomes donations of equipment or services that will help us feed the hungry. There are many opportunities to give your talents as a professional or to donate gently-used equipment such as refrigerated trucks. For a current list of opportunities, please email [email protected]
RETAILER REWARDS PROGRAMS
Donate to Second Harvest Food Bank just by doing your regular shopping! Many retailers have programs that help you give back to your favorite nonprofit. Click on the links below for information on how to do it.
Host a Virtual
Food Drive
Virtual Food Drives are one of the best ways you or your company can make a difference in this challenging time. Join us in our hunger-fighting efforts! You can learn more or set up your individual or corporate Virtual Food Drive here.
VOLUNTEER
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Second Harvest Food Bank! We are grateful to have a tremendous community working alongside us to ensure all are well fed in Orange County. On behalf of our team here at Second Harvest as well as those we serve, thank you!
In order to keep everyone safe and healthy, we ask that volunteers stay home if you are not feeling well.
Please note: We open shifts on the first of every month at 8:00 AM PST. Check back on the first of each month to see more volunteer opportunities listed.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
HARVEST SOLUTIONS FARM
Join us as we plant, harvest, weed and maintain the fields of Harvest Solutions Farm located just down the road from our food bank in Irvine, CA. Harvest Solutions Farm currently welcomes volunteers age 10 and older with adult chaperone, with select scheduled Family Farm Nights welcoming volunteers age 7 and older with adult chaperone.
Click HERE to download and print the Harvest Solutions Farm Waivers for youth volunteers.
If you have questions about volunteering at Harvest Solutions Farm, please email: [email protected].
CLICK HERE TO SEE ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND/OR SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER AT HARVEST SOLUTIONS FARM!
DISTRIBUTION CENTER
Volunteer with us at our Distribution Center in Irvine! Participants assist in a variety of projects that help us process food to send out to our community. Our Distribution Center currently welcomes volunteers age 13 and older with an adult chaperone.
Click HERE to download and print the Distribution Center Waivers for youth volunteers.
If you have questions about volunteering at our Distribution Center, please email: [email protected].
CLICK HERE TO SEE ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND/OR SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER AT OUR DISTRIBUTION CENTER!
COMMUNITY FOOD DISTRIBUTION
Second Harvest provides food to those in need through our amazing network of more than 250 Community Partners. When partner sites need additional volunteer support, we assist by making those opportunities available.
CLICK HERE TO SEE ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND/OR TO CONNECT WITH A COMMUNITY PARTNER SITE!
COMMUNITY SERVICE
VOLUNTEER SERVICE HOURS
We are only able to verify volunteer hours on the day of service. If you require hour verification for school or community service, please bring your form with you so our volunteer team can sign off on your hours the day of your shift. We are unable to make exceptions.
COURT-ORDERED COMMUNITY SERVICE INDIVIDUALS
All court-ordered volunteers must be referred through OneOC. For information on court-ordered community service, please click here.
FOOD INDUSTRY
DONATIONS
Second Harvest’s Food Sourcing Department serves the needs of donors, community partners and the food insecure in Orange County. Whether you’re a manufacturer, distributor, retailer, restaurant, hotel or caterer, we have a program that will transfer unwanted food directly to those in need so no food is wasted. It’s a true win-win. Contact us here and a Food Sourcing Team member will reply.
With food safety being our #1 priority, Second Harvest staff and community partners are trained in the inspection and handling of food for safe consumption and follow strict guidelines for record keeping, food handling and distribution. In addition, donors are protected from liability by the Good Samaritan Law.
FOOD MANUFACTURERS
Donate food that’s safe for consumption but has been discontinued, approaching its best-by date, overstocked, out-of-spec, a test or promotional product or needs to be removed for inventory.
Some of our generous donors include: Legacy Farms, Frieda’s Specialty Produce, Flowers Baking Company, OC Produce, Veg-Land, Kellogg Company, Heritage Foods, Schreiber Foods, Danone White Wave, General Mills and more.
GROCERY STORES
We give you a safe and efficient way to donate:
- Meat
- Dairy
- Deli
- Produce
- Bakery
- Frozen items
- Shelf-stable items
- Non-food health and beauty items
We make scheduled pickups in temperature-controlled trucks and deliver your donations directly to community partners, ensuring peak freshness.
Our current grocery store partners include Walmart, Sam’s Club, Kroger (Ralphs, Food 4 Less), Albertsons/Vons/Pavilions, Target, Gelson’s, select Trader Joe’s locations, Aldi, Amazon Fresh, Costco Wholesale, Smart & Final, 99 Ranch, Grocery Outlet and Sprouts.
FOOD VENDORS
Since many food categories are not donated in sufficient quantities, we must purchase them in bulk. If you’d like to bid on these opportunities, please contact us at [email protected].
OTHER FOOD DONATIONS
EVENTS
If you have an event with leftover food, with advanced notice we can help get it to those in need. To learn more please contact us at [email protected].
RESTAURANTS & FOOD SERVICE RESCUE PROGRAM
We can deliver your unsold prepared and perishable food or event leftovers directly to our smaller community partners. We provide donation records for your tax purposes.
Our current restaurant partners include Disneyland and Orange County School Districts.
For more information, please contact us at [email protected].
SPECIAL THANKS
Thank You From the Bottom of Our Hearts!
Every day thousands of men, women and children look to Second Harvest to provide food for their next meal. Without your donations, we’d have to turn them away. We are so grateful for your generosity as we work to ensure all in Orange County are well fed.
Thank You to Our Corporate Partners
Thank You to Our Annual Donors
Thank You to Our Corporate Food Donors
EVENTS
For questions about our events, please contact [email protected].
TUESDAY, OCT. 11, 2022
HARVESTERS 30TH ANNIIVERSARY FASHION SHOW & LUNCHEON CELEBRATION
Click HERE to learn more about the event and Harvesters.
TUESDAY, NOV. 22, 2022 • 11:45 A.M.
“NO LUNCH” LUNCH
Location: Second Harvest Food Bank, Irvine
Please save the date and join us for this annual update on our work. We look forward to an in-person event this year. Invitations will be mailed and emailed in late September. Space is limited. If you are interested in learning more about the 2022 event, please email us at
[email protected]
Click here to view the 2021 virtual event video.
ADVOCACY
In fiscal year 2021 through our Community Partners, Second Harvest Food Bank helped an average of 489,000 individuals per month who were experiencing food insecurity. Helping our neighbors in need benefits all of us in Orange County. Children who’ve had a healthy meal are better learners. Workers perform better in their jobs. Seniors stay active longer.
If you have ideas on how you would like to advocate for Second Harvest and those we serve, please contact us at [email protected].
Jill Wilson decided to volunteer with Second Harvest in 2008 when she was in between jobs and looking for a way to apply her talents that could benefit the community. She arrived one day at Second Harvest’s former distribution center in Orange, ready to serve, and felt immediately connected to the mission.
Like Jill and Ian, other friends of the food bank may be looking for ways to connect meaningfully with Second Harvest to help those experiencing hunger in Orange County for years to come. One simple way to make a significant impact, while achieving peace of mind, is by creating a will or revocable living trust with our partner, FreeWill.
March is National Nutrition Month, an annual awareness campaign that encourages us to learn about nutrition, develop healthy eating habits and discover the fun of being physically active. At Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, we strive to provide everyone in Orange County with the nutrition they need to grow and excel in life.
Last spring, here at Second Harvest we completely revamped our focus to proactively purchase fresh nutrition for those in need, ensuring a steady pipeline of protein, dairy, eggs, fruits and vegetables to our approximately 300 partner and program sites. As a next step, we recently unveiled our new, 6,200-square-foot cold storage facility and two additional cold docks that establish a “cold chain” at our distribution center in Irvine. This gives us a total of 14,550 square feet of cold storage, which greatly enhances our ability to source and distribute more nutritious food.
Second Harvest continues to fight increasing food insecurity through our Pop-Up Drive Thru food distributions with the help of many amazing volunteers and it is no surprise that many of them are mothers. Jacqueline is one such volunteer and I wanted to learn more of her story.
here to volunteer representing other mothers…to give back to the community, to be a role model to my children. As a mother, as a woman, as a friend, as a wife…you have so many hats you have to put on and one of them is giving. When I go home my daughter asks me, “Mom what did you do today?” And I say, “I got to give back to people, people that really don’t have as much as we do.” Hopefully she sees me doing this and then as she gets older, she’ll want to give back just the same way.”
Pantry. Their style traditionally has always been very welcoming and focused on building relationships with those they serve. They would put out coffee and pastries and spend time talking with the families who would come early just to socialize.
One of Nancy’s key volunteers, Mary Kaye, also shared insights. Mary Kaye is an emergency room doctor who has been spending much of her spare time serving at the Saint Timothy pantry. She began volunteering pre-COVID by taking blood pressures on pantry days and translating for Spanish-speaking clients.. All the changes have her missing conversations and connecting with the families they serve.
can take your blood pressure soon,” and encouraging them.”
Whatever the situation that keeps students on campus and struggling to feed themselves, the Fresh Basic Needs Hub at UCI remains open to serve them, supported by food from Second Harvest. Student hunger is a serious challenge, made even worse by the pandemic, but Fresh, as it’s called, has the mission to provide for the basic needs of UCI students, allowing them to focus on academics.
Last week did not feel hopeful. Seeing the injustice of the past few days makes me cringe. It causes me to grieve when I see people treated unfairly or worse. But I’m choosing to move forward with hope. How can I have hope this week? Because I know Andrea and I see how she treats people who sometimes feel trapped. The team at Fresh, and all the other college pantries in Orange County serve as a lifeline for their students, providing for basic needs and offering a dignified experience for everyone who comes to them for help. Their service is a beacon of hope in the darkness.
redirected those emotions toward survival and humility. While it was a very difficult decision, Stephen and Kristina decided that in order to make it through this crisis, they would need to receive assistance the first time in their lives. This is what it means to be newly vulnerable.