What Actually Happens to the Food You Drop in Those Donation Bins Around the East Bay? We Found Out.
Around the holiday season, large barrel-shaped donation bins for the Contra Costa and Solano Food Bank appear at churches, shopping centers, community centers, and other locations across the East Bay.
These bins are designed to collect cans and other nonperishable food items. But once you drop off your donations, what actually happens to them?
The Bay Area Telegraph recently joined a tour of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano County so we could find out firsthand. We visited the food bank’s warehouse in Concord, California, and learned about what happens to community food donations and the many programs the food bank runs throughout the year.
Your Food’s Incredible Journey
When you donate food to one of the hundreds of bins scattered across the East Bay, food bank trucks periodically pick them up and deliver them to a 33,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art warehouse near Buchanan Field in the industrial part of Concord.
The barrels are stacked on pallets and prepared for sorting.
While food donations from the community are an important source for the food bank, they are far from the only source.
As we toured the food bank’s facility, we learned about the various ways this nonprofit organization works to feed people in need across the county.
Another significant source of food comes from local supermarkets. Our tour guide, a volunteer named Gary, explained that when retail stores like Costco end up with surplus canned goods or other food they cannot use, they donate these items to the food bank.
Similarly, supermarkets and food wholesalers donate fresh produce. We observed giant bags of apples, onions, and other fresh items arriving from local retailers such as Diablo Foods.
The food bank also receives monetary donations, which it uses to purchase food at discounted rates. During our visit, we saw large pallets of peanut butter, pasta, and other staples purchased with these funds.
Our guide explained that up to 97 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to purchasing food. This means that a $25 donation can provide meals for up to 50 people, as the food bank leverages bulk purchasing to get excellent prices.
All the food—whether from community donations, supermarkets, or purchased by the food bank—ends up at the Concord warehouse, as well as a much larger 100,000+ square-foot facility in Fairfield, located near the Jelly Belly factory.
Once the food arrives, staff members and a dedicated army of 7,000+ volunteers sort it for distribution.
For bulk items purchased by the food bank, sorting is relatively straightforward. For community donations, however, the process is more complex.
This is where volunteers play a crucial role. Thousands of people volunteer each year to help sort donations. They categorize the donated food into various “buckets,” or general food types.
For example, all pasta-related items go into the Pasta category. The “Tuna” category includes canned tuna, sardines, salmon, and other canned fish.
The variety of items donated means the specific contents of each category can vary greatly. One day, the pasta category might include spaghetti or angel hair pasta; another day, it could contain orzo or another type of noodle entirely.
Our guide emphasized the food bank’s strong focus on fresh produce. Approximately 65% of the food processed is fresh fruit or vegetables, which is impressive given the logistical challenges of handling perishable items.
During the tour, we entered a three-story-tall refrigerator where these perishable donations are stored before being sorted for distribution.
Once the food is processed and organized, it is sent out to people in need across the community.
The food bank distributes food through various channels. It operates distribution centers in Contra Costa and Solano counties, where individuals can pick up food at designated times. These centers may be located in church parking lots, community center basements, college campuses, or other volunteer-hosted sites.
Additionally, the food bank supplies local food pantries at faith-based organizations, senior centers, and schools to make food accessible where it is needed most.
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Our guide explained that the services of the Contra Costa and Solano County Food Bank are open to anyone in need. The organization does not require applications or ask questions about an individual’s financial situation or other personal details.
Even if someone arrived at a distribution center in a luxury car and wearing formal attire, they would still be given food, Gary said. This policy recognizes that hunger isn’t always visible and can affect anyone.
The average meal provided by the food bank includes around 15 pounds of food, with fresh produce, again, making up about 65% of the total. Other categories, such as pasta and canned goods, fill out the remainder.
Beyond food, the food bank also distributes non-food essentials like diapers and paper towels.
The organization’s efficiency is remarkable—it distributes over 2.7 million meals per month, making a significant impact on hunger in the counties it serves.
The food bank’s effectiveness has even earned it a designation as a disaster response center for the state of California. In the event of a wildfire, earthquake, or other disaster, the food bank can quickly provide two to three days’ worth of food for affected residents, buying time for federal agencies and other charities to set up longer-term assistance.
Get Involved
Community participation is a major factor in the food bank’s success. Donations of food and time from local residents are essential to its operations–volunteers give over 100,000 hours per year.
Our guide noted that volunteer slots at the Concord warehouse often fill up months in advance due to high demand. However, the Fairfield location typically has more availability for those eager to help.
The food bank offers volunteer opportunities for all ages, from toddlers to seniors. Family sorting days, where families work together to sort donations, are among the most popular events.
If you want to contribute, you can donate food at one of the bins located throughout the county or visit the food bank’s website to sign up for a volunteer day.
If you ever need food from the food bank, obtaining it is easy. No forms or questions are required—simply visit the food bank’s “Find Food” page to locate a nearby distribution center or community food pantry.
We were deeply inspired by the incredible work of the food bank and grateful for the opportunity to see it in action.
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