Individual Food Donations

MANNA FoodBank is happy to accept food donations from individuals. If you have a small sized donation, such as a couple of bags or boxes, we ask that you put the food in the donation box located in front of the Volunteer Center entrance. You can drop off your food donations at the Volunteer Center side of our warehouse located at 627 Swannanoa River Road, Asheville, NC, 28805. Look for our Food Donations signage! If you have a large food donation (more than 300 lbs.), or have further questions about what foods might be accepted as donations, please contact our Food Drive Coordinator for assistance.

Most Needed Items

A printable flyer of the most needed food items can be accessed and printed from here: Most Needed Items (pdf).

Accepted Products

We accept all types of shelf stable foods, as well as fresh, refrigerated, and frozen food. We also accept non-food items such as paper products, cleaning supplies, and health and beauty aids. We gladly accept product that is safe for consumption, including the following:

  • Close expiration dates
  • Mislabeled products
  • Surplus production
  • Discontinued products
  • Shipping errors
  • Garden-grown fruits and vegetables
  • Un-harvested or post-peak produce
  • Cosmetically damaged items (with packaging intact)
  • Imperfect packaging
  • Production flaws

Items we cannot accept:

  • Prepared foods (please contact our excellent partner, Food Connection, for prepared food donations)
  • Opened or damaged packaging
  • Items without nutrition labels
  • Homemade goods
  • Items in glass containers

Donating Perishables

If you are dropping off perishables, for the sake of food safety, please be sure a MANNA designated staff or volunteer is able to receive your donation. Our open hours are Monday – Friday, 8am – 4pm.

Who Benefits from Food Donations?

MANNA FoodBank distributes the products to more than 200 charitable organizations that feed people in need throughout Western North Carolina. These include food pantries, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, day care centers, and senior citizen feeding programs. Together, MANNA and our network of partners are serving more than 100,000 people across WNC facing an empty plate.

Donor Protection

The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, passed by Congress in 1996, protects citizens and businesses who donate apparently wholesome food or an apparently fit grocery product in good faith to a nonprofit organization for distribution to people in need. Read the Act.