“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.”
― Oscar Wilde
Donate
There are many ways you can donate, including donating non-perishable food items, volunteering at the food shelter, or making monetary contributions, to name a few. Donations benefit the community members of Colchester, Vermont, who find themselves on hard times in need of food and basic supplies for their families. All staff and directors are volunteers. No donations are used for salaries.
View the list of high-priority items used on the client shopping list. (CLICK HERE to view the client shopping list.)
Drop Off Donations
Non-perishable food items and/or monetary donations can be made in person at the food shelf during regular hours. The high-priority items are those items included on the client shopping list each week. The most common/needed items can be found here. When items other than those listed on the shopping list are donated, we place them on a miscellaneous table for clients, weather permitting. Looking to make a donation outside of our regular hours? There is a drop box at the Burnham Memorial Library.
Mail Donations
Donations can be mailed to the food shelf. Please make checks payable to “Colchester Food Shelf” and mail to: Colchester Food Shelf, P.O. Box 625, Colchester, VT 05446. Please do not send cash through the mail.
Donate Online
Donations can be made online with a credit card. All online donations are processed by PayPal. A PayPal account is not required to make a donation online.
Food Drives
Are you and/or your group/organization planning an event and considering making a Food Drive for the food shelf part of your plan? We can help promote your event on the food shelf website and social media accounts. Please complete the Food Drive Registration Form to let us know about your event. Then download our Food Drive Tool Kit with tips signs for your event. More information can be found below in the Food Drives section.
Plant a Row (Seasonal)
Do you already plant a vegetable garden? Consider adding just one extra row of vegetables to your garden to create additional bounty to harvest and share with those most in need. The following vegetables keep well and are offered as suggestions for you to consider planting: green or wax beans, peas, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, carrots, potatoes, zucchini, and squash.
Shop with AmazonSmile
Are you already an Amazon shopper? AmazonSmile has the same low prices and selection as Amazon.com. The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the total purchase price of eligible products marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product detail pages. Select Colchester Community Food Shelf Inc. There is no additional cost of the products you are purchasing. Visit https://smile.amazon.com/.
Food Drives
Over the years, many clubs, groups, and organizations have made Food Drives for the food shelf part of their event. The donations from Food Drives helps keep the shelves of the food shelf stocked. Some examples of previous Food Drives for the food shelf include charity races, tennis tournaments, donations in lieu of gifts for children’s birthday parties, etc.
Coordinating an event and considering a Food Drive for the food shelf?
If you are considering adding a Food Drive for the food shelf to one of your events, please complete the Food Drive Registration Form.
Why does the food shelf request Food Drives register?
There are a number of reasons the food shelf is requesting that Food Drives in its name be registered. From time to time, community members and potential donors hear about a Food Drive and reach out to the food shelf to determine its legitimacy. By registering your Food Drive with the food shelf, our volunteers can be made aware of upcoming events in the area to best answer inquiries. The food shelf can also help promote your event on the food shelf website and on the food shelf social media accounts.