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Monthly Meal Sponsors
Invite supporters to commit a fixed monthly gift to feed families consistently. Automated recurring gifts ensure a reliable funding stream for pantry essentials.
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Fill the Shelves Food Drive
Create a custom donation form specifying needed items or meal kits, making it easy for donors to give toward tangible pantry supplies. Highlight impact with real-time progress bars.
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Pantry Champions Peer-to-Peer Drive
Empower volunteers and board members to rally their networks with personalized fundraising pages. Peer-driven challenges boost engagement and expand your donor base.
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Harvest Family Fun Run
Host a community 5K or family walk/run to raise funds and awareness for hunger relief. Online ticketing and registration streamline event management and donor data collection.
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Golden Ticket Pantry Raffle
Sell raffle tickets for themed gift baskets, local experiences, or holiday hampers. A simple online raffle drive generates excitement and contributes directly to food purchases.
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Pantry Merchandise Shop
Offer branded tote bags, shirts, and recipe booklets in an online store to spread awareness and raise funds. All proceeds go directly to stocking shelves and community programs.
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With Zeffy, you keep every cent.
Here’s what that $2,500 can fund instead
🍎 5,000 nutritious meals
So local families never worry where their next meal comes from
🛒 500 grocery boxes for a week
Stocked with fresh produce and essentials to nourish a family in need
🚚 A month of home deliveries
Brings groceries directly to homebound seniors and families without transport
🥫 2,000 emergency meal kits
Ready to hand out at a moment's notice to households facing sudden hardship
👨🍳 Free cooking workshops for 50 families
Teaching affordable, healthy meal strategies they can use every day
How Zeffy compares to other fundraising platforms for Food Pantries
Fees | You keep | You loose | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.svg){kind=small} | 0% platform & processing fees | $50,000 | $0 | |
 | 2.9% + $0.30/transaction | $48,400 |  -$1,600 | |
 | 2.2% + $0.30 + ~2.35% platform fees | $47,500 | -$2,500 | |
 | 2.9% + $0.30/transaction | $48,350 | -$1,650 | |
 | 3.7% + $1.79/ticket + 2.9% processing | $46,550 | -$3,450 (est.) | |
 | 1.99% + $0.49 | $48,560 | -$1,440 |
100% free, always.
Top 6 fundraising ideas for Food Pantries
🥗 Summer Picnic for Pantries
Host a ticketed community picnic with live music and family games. Proceeds support pantry operations while fostering local connections and raising hunger awareness.
🚶♀️ Steps for Sustenance
Organize a 5K or family fun walk. Participants gather sponsorships per lap to benefit food pantries, promoting fitness and community giving in a festive summer atmosphere.
📱 #PantryPledge Challenge
Launch a social media challenge urging followers to donate meal credits or nonperishables, tag friends, and keep the momentum online, boosting donations and awareness.
🍹 Sip & Support Social
Partner with local bars for a summer mocktail or cocktail night where a portion of all drink sales supports the pantry, offering fun while filling shelves.
🚚 Mobile Market Tour
Outfit a van as a pop-up market selling local produce at farmers markets. Every sale helps stock the pantry and connects supporters directly to your mission.
🍦 Ice Cream Social & Auction
Throw an ice cream social featuring local vendors, kids’ crafts, and a silent auction of donated items. Cool treats raise funds to feed families all year.
Want more inspiration?
Explore 40+ free Food Pantries fundraising ideas
Top grants for Food Pantries in 2025
Spark Good Local Grants
Walmart Foundation
$250 to $5,000
Supports local nonprofit organizations focused on community needs, including hunger relief, with applications accepted quarterly; the window is May 1âJul 15, 2025.
Better Food Policy Fund: Rapid Response Grant Program
New Jersey Department of Health
Up to $15,000
Supports food security initiatives with a deadline of July 7, 2025.
Community First Grant Program
Whole Cities Foundation
Varies (over $3.4M awarded since 2016)
Supports nonprofits focused on long-term fresh, healthy food access and nutrition education, with the grant year starting September 2025.
Food, Nutrition and Wellness Grants
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS)
Up to $30,000
Assists schools and community and household food distribution programs throughout Florida; no specific deadline mentioned in the snippet.
Top companies that donate to Food Pantries in 2025
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Walmart
Supports nonprofits through local grants and its Spark Good programs.
Tyson Foods
Supports fighting hunger by partnering with Feeding America member food banks and providing protein.
Sempra Energy
Supports community initiatives through its corporate giving programs.
Shell
Supports community initiatives and sustainability efforts through its engagement programs.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zeffy really 100% free for Food Pantries? What's the catch?
Yes, Zeffy is 100% free for food pantries! There are no platform fees, no processing fees, and absolutely no hidden costs. We stay free thanks to optional tips from donors who believe in our mission to help food pantries like yours keep every dollar you raise. That's it - no catch!
Can Food Pantries use Zeffy to collect donations?
Absolutely! Food pantries can use Zeffy to collect general donations, organize ticketed events, or set up recurring donations - all without paying a single fee. Every dollar donated goes directly to supporting your pantry's mission.
What types of fundraising campaigns can Food Pantries run with Zeffy?
Food pantries can run various fundraising campaigns with Zeffy including peer-to-peer fundraising, ticketed events like community dinners or food drives, and recurring donations for ongoing support. Zeffy provides the flexibility for all your fundraising needs.
What's the best fundraising platform for Food Pantries?
Zeffy is the only truly 100% free fundraising platform for food pantries. While other platforms may claim to be 'free' but charge processing fees or have hidden costs, Zeffy doesn't take a penny from your donations, meaning more money goes directly to helping those in need.
