Last fiscal year, Central Illinois Foodbank distributed over 8 million pounds of food. Donations and contributions from the community are important in allowing us to serve more of our neighbors across our 21-county service area. 
How can you help?
Food drives help food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens collect food donations to keep their shelves stocked. Food drives are also a great way to raise awareness about hunger in your community and encourage others to help.
The items donated to Central Illinois Foodbank are distributed to over 140 partner agencies across 21 counties.
How does it work?
Plan a drive.
Host an in-person, drive-thru food drive, or virtual food drive to benefit Central Illinois Foodbank. This method allows physical distancing to be practiced keeping donors and volunteers safe, and still help us identify new sources of food as the need increases.
Register your food drive.
Complete and submit the online registration form to the Foodbank. The Foodbank is here to assist you in hosting a successful and safe food drive.
Click here to complete online registration form today.
Promote your food drive.
When promoting your food drive, please indicate that the food drive is to benefit Central Illinois Foodbank. Please contact us to secure proper listings prior to producing any promotional material that acknowledges Central Illinois Foodbank.
Collect donations.
- Most needed non-perishable food items include: Pasta, pasta sauce, low sodium canned veggies, low sodium canned soups, canned meat in water, canned fruit in juice, peanut butter, whole grain cereal, and crackers.
- Most needed non-food items include: Laundry soap, bath soap, shampoo, toilet paper, tooth paste, diapers, and deodorant.
- Items we are unable to accept include: Rusty cans, unlabeled products, alcoholic beverages, homemade items, and opened or used items.
- Donations must be collected in boxes or totes. The Foodbank may have boxes and/or totes (must be placed on pallet and moved by pallet jack) available to use. If you are in need of boxes or totes, please contact us to check availability.
- Printable Food Drive Wish List
Schedule a time to drop off your donation.
Donations may be delivered to Central Illinois Foodbank located at 1937 E Cook St, Springfield, Illinois on Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
- Smaller donations may be left in our foyer for no contact delivery.
- Larger donations may be delivered to the agency door located on the north side of the building. Notify staff that you are here by pressing the buzzer located at the agency door. Please return to your vehicle and remain in your vehicle, and warehouse personnel will unload the donation for no contact delivery.
- Donations totaling over 500 lbs. are eligible for local pickup.
- All persons delivering a donation need to wear a mask.
For further questions, please feel free to contact our offices.
We want to celebrate your drive!
Feel free to send pictures to share on our social media channels, or if you collect a certain weight, we want to make it known by sending a press release to local news outlets and sharing through our various channels.
For more information, please contact Karleen Langhein, Food Sourcing Manager, by email at klanghein@centralilfoodbank.org or by phone at (217) 522-4022, Ext. 219.
Thank you for joining us in the fight against hunger.