America’s First Neighborhood-Based Food Donation Program
Helping a neighbor has always come naturally to Americans. But today, millions of people across the country are struggling to put food on the table, and most of us don’t know it. The Neighborhood Food Project was built on a simple idea: what if we harness the power of neighborhoods to support our local food pantries? Not through a big organization or a one-time food drive, but through a simple, reliable system where people share food with their neighbors, every two months, year after year.
The NFP's system has three parts, and each one is simple on its own. Every two months each part comes together and that's when something remarkable happens. Neighbors set food out. Coordinators pick it up. Pantries get stocked. Then it starts again.
Every two months, Food Donors put a bag of groceries outside their front door. And when it’s picked up they receive a new empty bag to begin filling again. That’s it. No meetings, no schedules, no big commitment — just one small habit that can change your community.
Neighborhood Coordinators are the heart of every Food Project. They recruit a small group of neighbors, keep in touch between pickups, and collect the bags on Collection Day. Many cover a single street or block, creating a manageable job with a big impact.
Six times a year, everything comes together. Coordinators deliver their bags to a central drop-off point where volunteers sort and organize the food before it goes directly to local pantries. It’s a great community event and a lasting win for everyone involved.
Since 2009
The Neighborhood Food Project started on one street in Ashland, Oregon in 2008. The idea was straightforward: make it easy for people to share food with their community members on a regular basis. It worked. Then other communities heard about it and wanted to try. Then more. Today there are many active Food Projects across the country; each one locally run, independently funded, and deeply connected to its community. No two are exactly alike yet all of them work.
If you've been thinking about starting a Food Project in your community, we'll walk you through it. We've helped communities of all sizes get going, and we know what works.
Running a Food Project comes with real challenges. We stay connected to local leaders, share what we've learned from nearly two decades of experience, and help projects adapt and strengthen over time.
Every Food Project is part of something larger. We connect leaders across communities so they can share ideas, solve problems together, and remind each other why this work matters.
Food Projects run on volunteer power, but the NFP runs on yours. Your support helps us reach new communities, equip local leaders, and keep this network growing, one neighborhood at a time.
