Top 5 Items Food Banks Need

Written by: Lacie Dotterweich   |   November 22, 2022

Supporting local communities

This year marked our third year of volunteering staff time at the Arlington Food Assistance Center. In the past, we have bagged rice and oatmeal for local families. This year's task: sorting donated food into crates. While organizing the food items into over 91 crates, we learned a few things about the process. First, they get A LOT of peanut butter and pasta, but oddly enough, not a lot of jelly and pasta sauce to accompany. And second, many items are opened or expired, and therefore, cannot be used. Our local food bank is most in need of the following items:

1. Tomato products (diced, paste, & sauce)
2. Canned tuna
3. Canned beans
4. Canned soup
5. Low sugar cereal

However, this list may be different in your local area! Find your local food bank and see what items are most needed.

Volunteering at our local food bank has become a special and favored tradition among American Feed Industry Association staff. I encourage you to find ways to give back this holiday season and thank all of you who already do. Happy Thanksgiving from the AFIA!