KPIX 5 Food For Bay Area Families

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) ― Each day, thousands of Bay Area families are stretched beyond their financial limits. Often they are forced to choose between buying groceries, paying the rent or buying medicine.

For the 11th straight year, KPIX 5 and Whole Foods Market are teaming up to feed hungry families throughout the Bay Area during this holiday season.

At Bay Area Whole Foods Market, you will be able to take part in the "Feed a Local Family" drive. Meanwhile, KPIX 5 will be staging for the 18th year of its Food for Bay Area Families campaign to help raise funds for local Bay Area food banks.

Customers have three ways to donate at their local Bay Area Whole Foods Market stores. Cash donations of any amount can be made at the register and/or you can donate food items in barrels, and when you bring in your own grocery bag, you can donate the credit to Nickels for Non-Profits. Proceeds will go to Food for Bay Area Families.

You can also make a cash donation to your area food bank:

• Alameda County Community Food Bank
• Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano
• Redwood Empire Food Bank (Sonoma County)
• Second Harvest Food Bank (San Mateo & Santa Clara Counties)
• SF-Marin Food Bank

Here are the "Do's and Don'ts" of Food Donation

Please Do Donate:

• Canned foods (fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, soups)
• Dried foods like beans, rice, pasta, soups, and packaged meals,
  like "Mac N' Cheese"
• Nutritional foods like peanut butter, powdered milk, shelf-stable
  soy milk
• Cereal, cereal bars, and baby food
• Non-perishable cooking ingredients like cooking oil and sugar
• Items packaged in plastics or containers that won't easily collapse

Please Do Not Donate:

• Candy
• "Dented" cans or packages which have been opened
• Food items with "expired" dates
• Foods YOU wouldn't eat or feed to your family ("exotic" or
  very "spicy" foods)
• Beauty aids or personal care items
• Medicines
• Food packaged in glass jars or bottles
• Perishable foods
• Alcohol