The San Francisco Food Bank is an important resource to more than 600 social service programs throughout San Francisco. We encourage agencies with food programs to stretch the dollars they spend on food by becoming partner agencies of the San Francisco Food Bank.
Our agency partners visit our warehouse to shop as they would at their local grocery store. These agencies select from a wide variety of packaged food and fresh produce and pay a shared maintenance fee of up to 18 cents per pound for the products they select. (Fresh produce is always free.) This shared maintenance system provides agencies with a low-cost source of food and helps to defray our operation costs.
Our supplies include fresh produce, bread, canned foods, frozen products and personal care items. We also purchase some items from wholesalers as part of our Wholesale Marketplace, in which staple items are available to agencies at a low cost.
To be eligible for San Francisco Food Bank membership, an organization:
- Must possess 501(c)3 IRS status and a final-determination letter from the IRS granting 501(c)3 status. A tax identification number or state certification is not sufficient.
- Must confirm that the agency serves low-income clients, the ill, the needy or infants, and that donated products will be used to care for these clients; must confirm that clients will not be charged for San Francisco Food Bank products.
- Must confirm that San Francisco Food Bank products will not be exchanged for money, products, services or client participation in activities. Food distribution cannot be contingent on attendance at a religious service.
- Welcome participants regardless of race, age, religion, sex, politics or sexual orientation.
- Must agree to inspection and monitoring by the San Francisco Food Bank.
- Must adhere to San Francisco Food Bank policies regarding storage and distribution of donated product; must adhere to all San Francisco Food Bank policies, to the participating agency agreement, and to the guidelines outlined in the agency manual.