Food Donor Information

Becoming a food donor is as simple as making a telephone call. No donation is too big or too small. Interested donors would call our voice mail system at 727-538-7777 ext. 1, which is retrieved hourly. We will acknowledge your call and react accordingly.  If you have a genuine emergency PICKUP, please call 727-538-7777 ext. 3 and leave a message.  Your call will be returned very shortly.

One time only - Donors which have a rare overage.
Occasional - Donor which have excess food less often than once per week (i.e. caterers).
Once a week - Donors which are able to hold their surplus food in a freezer for a 7-day period.
1-7 days/week - Donors such as supermarkets, which have minimum storage space, necessitating a collection of their excess more than once a week.
Special Event - Donors of community events which have vendor participation or a non-perishable food drives as part of the event.
Planned Overages - This is an opportunity for the business that does not regularly have overages but will prepare an inexpensive meal for 30 people once a month (or more frequently if desired) and then donate the food so that Tampa Bay Harvest can deliver it to a local shelter or soup kitchen.

One time and occasional donors must inform us that food is available for donation. A volunteer will be dispatched accordingly to meet the needs of the donor. A minimum of a two-hour window is requested.

Special Event donors need to notify us in advance of their event if at all possible. These events may involve the scheduling or more than one volunteer, nighttime deliveries and special parking arrangements.

Donors requiring a collection of at least once per week will need to set up a schedule that works for both TBH and the donor management. Every effort will be made to minimize disruption to your business.

The Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act provides uniform national protection to those that act in good faith to donate, recover and distribute excess food. Likewise, Florida has enacted legislation that specifically addresses the liability for canned or perishable food distributed free of charge. According to ss.768.136 (2) and (3), the Florida Statutes state:

(2) "A good faith donor or gleaner of any canned or perishable food, apparently fit for human consumption, to a bona fide charitable or non profit organization for free distribution shall not be subject to criminal penalty or civil damages arising from the condition of the food, unless an injury is caused by the gross negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct of the donor or gleaner."

(3) "A bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization, or any representative or volunteer acting on behalf of such organization or an uncompensated person acting in a philanthropic manner providing services similar too those of such an organization, which accepts, collects, transports, or distributes any canned or perishable food, apparently fit for human consumption, from a good faith donor or gleaner for free distribution shall not be subject to criminal penalty or civil damages arising from the condition of the food, unless an injure s caused by the gross negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct of an agent of the charitable or nonprofit organization."

Were you among the many that rushed out to purchase non-perishable items during hurricane season and now your wondering what to do with them? Many individuals prefer only fresh or frozen foods and do not keep many canned goods on hand. If this is you, we’d like to suggest that you donate your unwanted canned and dry goods. While they will keep for a very long time, they may be taking up space that you would prefer to use for some other purpose. The types of food suggested for your hurricane supplies are exactly the types of food that are least frequently donated. Give us a call; we’ll make sure it gets put to good use.

Tampa Bay Harvest volunteer Jeannie Byrd once participated in the Disney Marathon. One year she put her own twist on the run as an incentive to complete her first marathon. She did complete all 26+ miles but was completely worn out after the run. The biggest incentive was the fact that people had committed a $1.00 per mile completed which Jeannie converted into meat products for Tampa Bay Harvest.

Thinking of moving…. Don’t want to throw that food away but don’t want to pay to move it either? … Call TBH. We’ll make sure it gets put to good use.

Czechoslovakian American Club is to be commended for their donation idea of the month. This group has adopted CASA, one of the agencies assisted by TBH. Each month the club members purchase food items for CASA and calls on TBH to make the delivery.

The North Pinellas Democratic Club held a fishing tournament. Unlike any other fishing tournament you didn’t have to bring a pole, bait or a cooler to store your catch. You just had to bring donations of canned seafood i.e.: tuna, shrimp, crab, mackerel, salmon or any other canned seafood you could locate. Participants registered for prizes and enjoyed a vintage car show.

Some of the members of the Church by the Sea, located in Madeira Beach, went on a diet. Members cheered one another on and, as an incentive they placed a challenge to this small group. The result of the weight loss was food for agencies assisted by TBH. Members lost a total of 108 pounds.

TBH Special Event volunteers, Patti and Scott Greenleaf, recently had their daughter, Alison, christened. Invitees to the ceremony were asked that in lieu of gifts to donate non-perishable food items for the agencies assisted by TBH. A total of 145 pounds was raised.

Do you own or manage a business in the food industry and wish you had overages to give? Feeling really bad that you don’t? Why not consider "Planned Overages", TBH’s newest method of raising food for local charities. All you do is prepare an inexpensive meal once a month for thirty and TBH will establish a schedule to pick up the donation that works for you. The TBH volunteer will immediately deliver the donation to a local charity. Such donations will be a great help to shelters and soup kitchens.

Nothing but common sense for this food raiser… How many of you travel during the year and stay where you have a kitchen allowing you to prepare your own meals? Have you ever had non-perishable items left when your trip ends, and no room in your vehicle to bring it home? Why not donate it to a local charity? Although there are not USA Harvest chapters in every community, there are charitable programs that would gladly accept your donation.

The Good Fork Tampa Bay Harvest volunteer, Jan Gerdes has opened a very unique business in the food industry. Imagine coming home from work, you’re tired and hungry and in just a few minutes you are enjoying a delicious, nutritious, healthful dinner. The best part is, you didn’t have to go out, shop, cook or clean up! Would you like your very own Personal Chef? If this interests you call The Good Fork 727-550-9229. Now we’ve got to find a way for The Good Fork to become an ongoing donor to TBH! Perhaps someone would be willing to be a sponsor and pay Jan to provide a meal a month to one of the smaller charities? Is there an individual or company out there that would be willing to accept this challenge?

Tampa Bay Harvest would like to offer to accept gift certificates for SHARE packages so that we may obtain fresh meat and produce for the clients that are going to the agencies we assist. If you are willing to purchase a SHARE package for pick up by Tampa Bay Harvest please contact us prior to placing your order so that we can make the necessary arrangements to collect the donation. To find out where the nearest SHARE Host site is call 1-800-536-3379.           

And finally, although not a food raising idea, per se, Community Partners, individuals or Corporations, willing to donate on an ongoing basis to Tampa Bay Harvest are needed to help with the employment costs of the Operations Manager.  See the the "HOT NEWS"  section. 

Thanks to our creative supporters.

Can you think of a creative food raiser?