Food Donation
Prevent food waste by reducing, donating and composting food and organics in Cuyahoga County.
Approximately 80 billion pounds of food waste is created each year in the United States, and most of it is not recovered. That means each person in the United States throws away over 250 pounds of food each year. There are missed opportunities to recover this food by improving management efficiency, which can reduce operating costs, feed those in need, recover food as a valuable resource, reduce the amount of methane generated as a greenhouse gas in landfills, and create jobs in the process.
In 2011, three industries joined forces to reduce the amount of food waste ending up in U.S. landfills. The Grocery Manufacturers Association (food and beverage companies), the Food Marketing Institute (representing food retailers), and the National Restaurant Association (representing the food service industry) formed the Food Waste Reduction Alliance (FWRA). The goals of the FWRA are as follows:
- Reduce the amount of food waste generated.
- Increase the amount of nutritious food safely donated to the needy.
- Recycle unavoidable food waste to divert it from U.S. landfills.
Managing Food Waste
If the food is unusable and cannot be donated, see more about managing food waste.
The Law & Tax Incentives
Some barriers for organizations interested in donating food include not knowing where to donate or what to donate, and sometimes fearing liability issues. Fortunately, there are state and federal laws that protect both the donating and recipient organizations from liability. To encourage food donation, there is a federal tax law that enhances tax deductions for businesses that do so.
EPA Guidelines on Sustainable Management of Food
Ohio Good Samaritan Food Law, Ohio Revised Code 2305.37
The Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act
The law was created to encourage the donation of food and grocery products to nonprofits and provide donors with liability protection. The law protects donors except in cases of negligence or intentional misconduct. In January of 2023, President Biden signed an update to this law, making it easier to donate food.
The U.S. Federal Food Donation Act of 2008
This document deals with procurement contract language for federal agencies and their contractors. It encourages the donation of excess nutritional food to nonprofit organizations with the goal of feeding those in need.
Food Donation Federal Tax Guide
Qualifying businesses may receive deductions of half of the donated food's appreciated value, the limit being that the total deduction cannot exceed twice the donated food's basis cost. Please contact your accountant to review this information.
Source: Harvard University Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation
Federal Tax Deduction for Food Donation
Please contact your accountant or tax representative to review this information.
Source: National Resource Defense Council
Make a Donation
Find a list of local organizations that accept food donations by using the dark blue ‘What Do I Do With?’ search bar at the top of every page of this website. Use the keyword Food.
Other Resources
The ZeroWasteNEO Working Group has put together a Zero Waste Event Guide to give you step-by-step instructions on how to host a reduced or zero waste event. View the PDF or learn more about the zero waste movement in Cuyahoga County.
The University of Arkansas Law School Legal Guide to Food Recovery
National Restaurant Associaiton Food Donation Guidelines