Ways to Give
Every Dollar and Every Can Makes a Difference
Food is a basic need. Food allows children to learn, thrive and grow up strong. Food is medicine for a healthier life. Food opens doors to a brighter today, tomorrow and future. Food strengthens the communities we live in.
Virginia Peninsula Foodbank and our neighbors feeling the pains of food insecurity need you. It takes a community to feed a community, and there are many ways to help.
Donate by Phone: (757) 596-7188
Donate by Mail:
Virginia Peninsula Foodbank
2401 Aluminum Avenue
Hampton, VA 23661
Donate Now
Other Ways to Give:
- Bank Bill Pay Program
- PayPal
- Money Order
- Matching Gift
- Employee Giving Program
- United Way Campaign
- Stocks, Bonds, Retirement Plans, IRAs, Securities
- Donor Advised Funds
- Bequests
Monetary donations go a long way and works best so that the Foodbank can provide healthy food that families struggle to afford and meets their dietary needs.
Virginia Peninsula Foodbank accepts and is grateful for gifts through stocks, securities, retirement plans, Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs, Donor Advised Funds and Life Insurance Plans.
Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from an IRA
Save on taxes before it’s too late! Instead of taking your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from your IRA and paying federal and state taxes, have your RMD benefit your community and direct your distribution to go to Virginia Peninsula Foodbank.
Retirement Plans and IRAs
You can leave a tax-smart gift by naming Virginia Peninsula Foodbank as beneficiary of your traditional IRA. In most cases, these assets will not be subject to estate taxes. Unlike after-tax investment accounts, real estate or other appreciated assets receive a step-up in basis at death, traditional IRAs generally do not.
Under current tax law, beneficiaries of IRAs are required to take distributions and pay taxes on them at their earned income tax rate. By gifting your IRA to Virginia Peninsula Foodbank, these assets pass directly to the Foodbank tax-free, helping your community without creating a tax burden for your estate or your heirs. Many financial planners and estate planning attorneys recommend leaving heirs tax-free assets such as life insurance or assets that receive a step-up in basis, while using IRAs and retirement accounts for charitable giving.
Life Insurance Policies
At some point you may had needed life insurance to provide security for your loved ones, but now your family’s requirements have changed. Consider using the insurance policy to feed kids facing hunger.
BECOME A MONTHLY MEAL CHAMPION
Make a lasting impact by joining our monthly Meal Champion donation program. Your ongoing support helps families access nourishing food and build brighter, healthier futures .
For every dollar donated, Virginia Peninsula Foodbank can provide the equivalent of three meals. Monthly gifts keep our shelves stocked with healthy food, our trucks on the road rescuing and delivering food, and meals on the table for Virginians experiencing food insecurity.
As a monthly donor, You'll be join a dedicated community of supporters committed to ending hunger across the greater Peninsula. Your steady support strengthens our community and helps ensure neighbors have the nourishment they need to thrive.
$10 Monthly = 360 healthy meals a year
$25 Monthly = 900 healthy meals a year
$50 Monthly = 1,800 healthy meals a year
$100 Monthly = 3,600 healthy meals a year
Or Surprise Us!
Monthly Meal Champions make a difference by:
- Providing immediate, reliable support that helps strengthen and grow our feeding programs.
- Offering steady monthly support that allows Virginia Peninsula Foodbank to plan ahead for fresh produce, dairy, and shelf-stable foods.
- Making giving simple and convenient through secure, automatic monthly donations.
- Helping reduce administrative, printing, and postage costs, so more resources go directly toward nourishing our community.
- Giving with flexibility, as monthly gifts can be adjusted or updated at any time.
Grants are an essential source of support for Virginia Peninsula Foodbank, helping fund our feeding programs and community initiatives. If your corporation or foundation has a grant program, Virginia Peninsula Foodbank would be grateful for the opportunity to apply for funding or submit a letter of intent.
Grants help fund programs such as the Food for Kids BackPack that provides bags of food for kids to take home with them on the weekend, purchase healthy foods from food distributors such as fresh fruits and vegetables and culturally diverse food, which are distributed at our monthly drive through distributions and made available to our 140+ partner agencies, support our Culinary Training Program, equipment, technology, and cover general operating expenses.
If you work for a corporation/foundation or know of anyone that has a grant program that supports human services and/or hunger relief programs, please email Alexis Jackson at ajackson@hrfoodbank.org.
Corporate support is critical to provide hunger relief to our neighbors in need. It’s easy to find a way to connect with Virginia Peninsula Foodbank through your company or foundation. Ways you can be involved include:
- Sponsorships
- Employee giving
- Matching gifts
- Food and fund drives
- In-kind services and goods
- Volunteer projects
- Grants
- Special events
Money was very tight when I was a child. However, I don’t remember being hungry. I can’t imagine such a condition. As I needed to consider my financial legacy, Virginia Peninsula Foodbank is now one of the beneficiaries of my will. I’m unlikely to regret that designation. I hope that, because of my decision, recipients of my legacy will one day say, ‘I don’t remember being hungry.’” said Sandra L. Clements.
Leave a Legacy of Hope by making a lasting impact on the fight against hunger. We can direct your gift, and in turn, your legacy, towards helping others.
Please consider joining the community of friends who will be providing charitable food assistance for our neighbors in need across the Greater Peninsula well into the future.
How a gift in your will makes an impact on hunger:
When you hear about people facing hunger and having to make the difficult choice between paying a utility bill or purchasing nutritious food, you want to make a difference in their lives immediately. You can make a lasting impact on the fight against hunger by leaving your legacy to Virginia Peninsula Foodbank.
Please consider a gift to Virginia Peninsula Foodbank in your will or as another option in your estate plan. You’ll help alleviate the stress of hunger and give Virginia Peninsula Foodbank the resources to distribute food effectively through our over 140 partner agencies, our childhood nutrition programs, and our mobile food pantries because food shouldn’t be an impossible choice.
If our cause is meaningful to you and you are interested in supporting it, an online fundraiser is an easy and effective way to make a lasting contribution. Bring others together by raising funds through our Just Giving fundraising platform.
Donations are critical in carrying out our mission to end hunger. Since every dollar donated may stretch into three healthy meals, fundraisers go a long way towards feeding our hungry community. Monetary donations work best so that the Foodbank can provide healthy food that families struggle to afford and meet their dietary needs.
Simply create an account with our JustGiving platform (link), personalize your page, and share it with your friends and family.
Online fundraising is a way to give back for:
- Birthdays
- Graduations
- Anniversaries
- Weddings
- Other special events when you do not need or want gifts for yourself, because it allows the people who care about you to contribute to something you care about.
You can create a fundraiser as an individual or as a team, so the platform is great for businesses and organizations as well.
Create your online fundraiser by creating a Fundraising Campaign and another option to link to the Foodbank's Facebook Fundraiser page.
Register to host a food and fund drive at work, school, church, or sporting event or neighborhood gathering. A food and fund drive can be incorporated into any get together or event.
Please register your event below, and the Community Engagement and Events Manager will contact you to provide further suggestions on how to make your fundraising event a success.
Check out our Food and Fund Drive Toolkit below for more information on how to plan and promote your drive. Every can and every dollar make a difference.
Click here to register your Food Drive
Honor the loss of a loved one, recognize someone special on their birthday, celebrate the wedding of special friends or a holiday by making a tribute gift in their name that will make a significant impact.
- $25 provides 75 nutritious meals to low income seniors
- $50 provides 6 bags of food for a child to take home with them on the weekends
- $100 helps pay for 15 deliveries to homebound individuals
During the donation process, click on the block “Yes, this is an honor or memorial gift” which gives you the option to make the gift “in honor” or “in memory of.” The Foodbank will send a special note card to the individual(s) designated for your tribute donation.
You can support your neighbors by donating non-perishable food products, you may drop them off at the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank or at one of our local drop-off locations listed in the Drop-Off Locations menu at the bottom of this page.
Give What You Harvest
During the spring and summer harvesting season, we welcome donations of fresh produce and vegetables. Your contributions help families access healthy, nutritious food.
Food rescue is close to our hearts. welcome donations of fresh produce and vegetables. Your contributions help families access healthy, nutritious food.
If you are a food distributor, such as a restaurant, grocery store, wholesaler, or manufacturer and would like to donate non-perishable food, please contact Renee Figurelle at rfigurelle@hrfoodbank.org or call the Foodbank at 757-596-7188.x 141.
Food Rescue
We are grateful to our retail partners and food distributors who donate thousands of pounds of food to us each weekly. If you are a food distributor, such as a restaurant, grocery store, wholesaler, or manufacturer, and would like to donate non-perishable food, please contact Rich Vargas rvargas@hrfoodbank.org or call the Foodbank at (757) .596-7188.x ext.127
Food Manufacturers and Distributors Good Samaritan Law
Federal law encourages the donation of food and grocery products to nonprofit organizations for distribution to individuals in need. The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act donors from civil and criminal liability from when products are donated in good faith, and these protections apply in across all 50 states.
As a member of Feeding America’s network, Virginia Peninsula Foodbank follows the same federal food-handling and safety regulations that govern the food and grocery industry. For the full complete text of the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, visit FeedingAmerica.org.
Plant a Row for the Hungry
Gardeners and farmers can to donate extra rows of fresh produce or surplus vegetables to support families in need. Virginia Peninsula Foodbank has volunteers available to glean your field and distribute your donation. To participate, please contact (757) 596-7188 ext.101.
Kroger Community Rewards
Kroger is committed to bringing hope and help to local families giving has never been easier. When you shop at Kroger, a portion of your purchase can be donated to Virginia Peninsula Foodbank. Simply link your Kroger Community Rewards card to Virginia Peninsula Foodbank and every purchase you make will help local families thrive. https://www.kroger.com/i/community/community-rewards
Walmart Spark Good
Walmart Spark Good, is a digital giving platform that connects you with the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank's mission. When you shop online at Walmart.com , you can round up your change to donate to us. Your small acts of generosity will create a big BIG impact for neighbors in need.
Be sure to check our registry on Walmart Spark Good for items we currently need. Any purchases you make will be shipped directly to us, saving you time and money.
How to set up your roundup:
- Go to Walmart.com and log in to your account.
- Scroll down to the Giving & Impact section.
- Search for Foodbank of the Virginia Peninsula and follow the prompts to enable round-up donations.
Did you know that thousands of companies offer matching gift programs that can double or even triple the impact of their employees’ charitable contributions?
This means that the gift you make today could have twice the impact, helping even more neighbors experiencing food insecurity. When you donate directly to Virginia Peninsula Foodbank or through your workplace giving program, your employer can match your gift dollar for dollar. Some companies may even match donations made by a retiree.
Many companies may also offer grants to match the hours you or a group volunteers at Virginia Peninsula Foodbank, turning your time into additional support for our mission.
Matching gift programs help us purchase healthy food items and strengthen our feeding programs, allowing us to provide more meals to families, seniors, and veterans in need.
It just takes a few seconds to see if your employer participates. Use the search tool below the donation gift selection amounts to see if your company will match your donation gift of money or time, and to access the forms, guidelines, and instructions.
If your company is not listed, please consider talking with your Human Resource department to see if a matching gifts program would be implemented.
Virginia Peninsula Foodbank is creating access to good, healthy food in the communities we serve, and we couldn't do it without your generosity. Hunger and health go hand-in-hand. Our health initiative program ensures that we procure the healthiest and nutritious foods available for our neighbors experiencing the fears of food insecurity.
Unfortunately, many low-income Virginians suffer from health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and other diet-related illnesses. Ensuring access to healthy foods helps mitigate these healthy conditions. When you choose items from our most needed items below, please know that you are contributing to the health and wellness of the neighbors we serve, and we thank you.
We prefer high fiber, low sugar, and low sodium. Please, if possible, we prefer no glass containers, dried lentils or dried peas. Standard size containers are encouraged.
Canned Meats (tuna, salmon, chicken, Spam, corned beef)
Canned Fruits (in light syrup or in it's own juice)
Fruit Cups
Canned vegetables (string beans, butter beans, carrots, squash, peas, potatoes)
Hearty Meaty Soups
Spaghetti Sauce
White & whole grain pasta
Hot and cold cereal, Grits
Peanut butter and Jelly
Instant Potatoes
Brown and White Rice
100% Fruit/Vegetable Juice
1% or 2% Shelf-Stable Milk
Healthy Snacks (Granola Bars)
Canned or Dry Beans (baked, pinto, black, kidney)
Herbs/spices
Condiments (mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, hot sauce & relish)
Kitchen essentials (cooking oil, flour, sugar, etc.)
Coffee, Tea, Cocoa, Cider
Baby Food and Formula
Other items:
Paper Products
Hygiene Items
Due to the increase in gasoline cost, we are requesting donations of 20 to 300 items be delivered to:
Virginia Peninsula Foodbank
2401 Aluminum Avenue
Hampton, Virginia 23661
Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
We appreciate your understanding, and please know that the additional savings will help provide more meals for our neighbors reaching out for help.
If you have more than 300 items, please email cbosco@hrfoodbank.org
Less Than 20 items
- 217 Harpersville Road, Newport News
- 12445 Warwick Blvd, Newport News
Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Stores
- 4209 W. Mercury Blvd, Hampton
- 15265 Warwick Blvd, Newport News
- 440 Merrimac Trail, Williamsburg
Dr. Lejeune Dentistry
1130 Big Bethel Road, Hampton
E-Commerce Center of Hampton
1708 Todds Lane, Hampton
Fulton Bank
601 Thimble Shoals Blvd, Suite 100, Newport News
Goodwill
1911 Saville Lane, Hampton
Habitat for Humanity Restore
371 Chatham Drive, Newport News
Hampton Roads Educator’s Credit Union
2130 Cunningham Drive, Hampton
Pearson Toyota
12978 Jefferson Avenue, Newport News
Primis Bank
2198 Coliseum Drive, Hampton
TowneBank Downtown Hampton
101 East Queen Street, Hampton
Casey Auto Group Locations
Old Point National Banks
- Downtown Hampton 101 East Queen Street, Hampton
- Executive Tower 2101 Executive Drive, Hampton
- Phoebus 1 West Mellen St., Hampton,
- Woodland 347 Woodland Road, Hampton
Casey Auto Group Locations
- Casey Volkswagen, 777 J Clyde Morris Blvd, Newport News
- Casey Toyota, 601 E Rochambeau Dr, Williamsburg
- Casey Subaru, 783 J. Clyde Morris Blvd, Newport News
- Casey Kia, 11999 Jefferson Ave, Newport News,
- Casey Honda, 12943 Jefferson Ave, Newport News
- Casey Chevrolet, 11700 Jefferson Ave, Newport
- Casey BMW, 12861 Jefferson Ave, Newport News
- Casey Auto Group, 813 Diligence Dr, Ste 117, Newport News
- Tech Center – 12082 Jefferson Ave, Newport News
- CNU – 12386 Warwick Blvd, Newport News
- 762 J. Clyde Morris Blvd, Newport News,
- Jefferson Commons: 12531 Jefferson Ave, #275, Newport News
- Riverpointe Shopping Center: 1068 W Mercury Blvd, Hampton
- 108 Coliseum Dr, Hampton
- Monticello – 5227 Monticello Ave, Suite A, Williamsburg
A donor advised fund is a charitable savings account you establish at a community foundation or financial services firm. It allows you to centralize your giving while giving you the flexibility to recommend how much and how often grants are made to charitable organizations. When you establish a donor advised fund, you may receive a tax deduction in the year the fund is created. You can then choose to make recurring gifts such as annual contributions, to the charities you care about most .