Organizations are offering free food distribution in South Florida for families that need help, with some sites offering drive-through pick-ups. Others offer doorstep deliveries for eligible participants.
Please return to this site. We’re adding other food giveaways and resources. Occasionally events are added. Or maybe rescheduled. If your organization is distributing food, please email complete info to news@fortlauderdaleonthecheap.com.
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Request from reader — “As a volunteer at the food drive … encourage people to clean out their trunk and put a cooler with ice packs for the frozen and cold food. Or cloth food bags or boxes. It makes it a lot safer for the cold and frozen food and is easier on volunteers.”
Donations Requested for people & pets
Salvation Army
Salvation Army of Broward is requesting non-perishable food items for distributions. Items requested include pastas and sauces, shelf-stable snacks, peanut butter and jelly, oatmeal, rice, canned goods, boxed cereals, granola bars. Please drop off items 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., 1445 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale 33312, 954-712-2431
Broward Library & Broward Animal care division
Drop off unopened pet food & other requested supplies at designated libraries, information online
- Hollywood Branch
- Main Library
- Northwest Regional Library
- South Regional/Broward College Library
- Southwest Regional Library
- West Regional Library
Summer Food Distributions for ages 18 & younger
Summer BreakSpot for ages 18 & younger
- For a distribution event using your zipcode, use interactive website, or text “FoodFL” to 877-877 or dial 2-1-1
- Program is partnership of US Department of Agriculture and Florida Department of Agriculture
Food distribution at Broward libraries for ages 18 & younger
For kids & teenagers 18 & younger, Summer BreakSpot offers free grab-&-go meals & snacks at participating libraries Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays, information on Broward Library website
Broward Schools food distribution for ages 18 & younger
- offered at select schools on Tuesdays, information on website or phone 2-1-1
- grab-&-go bundles with breakfasts & lunches
- for ages 18 & younger, even if they are not students in Broward schools. Students or their parents pick up food. If students are not present, parents need to provide identification for their youngster. Recommended forms of identification include student ID, report card or birth certificate
Other Free food distributions
Feeding South Florida
Feeding South Florida and its partners offer free food distribution events in Broward, Palm Beach & Miami-Dade, including these & others. Some are drive-through.
Please use an online tool to verify any events you are interested in. Occasionally, events are deleted, or relocated to a different venue. Others are added. We recommended verifying each event when you intend to participate. To verify each day, log in here & press “distribution locator” button on right to download a freshly revised list.
Feeding South Florida Events include:
- 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. August 23 Sunrise Tennis 9605 W. Oakland Park Boulevard, Sunrise 33351
- 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. August 28 McTyre Park 3501 SW 56th Avenue, West Park 33023
- website use “distribution locator” button for list
Farm Share
Farm Share, a non-profit organization that distributes fruits, vegetables & other food items, is offering drive-through distribution events in Florida. Free food items provided usually include fresh produce, non-perishable items & water. To obtain food, you need to arrive in a vehicle with a trunk or cargo bed. Information on drive-through pick-ups is online, First-come, first served. Financial donations are accepted via FarmShare.org or texting “EAT” to 41-444
Farm Share Events include
- 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. July 31 Community Church of God in Christ 2550 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Pompano Beach 33069
- other events in Dade & occasional events in Broward & Palm Beach, information online
Deerfield residents
- For Deerfield residents only, Photo ID required — 8:45 a.m. to 10 a.m. Thursdays while event is on, St. Ambrose Catholic Church Deerfield Beach, 380 South Federal Highway, Deerfield Beach 33441, masks required, 954-427-2225, Please phone to verify event is on
Other Food Distribution Programs
- Free meals for Kids & Teens 18 & younger at participating sites in South Florida. Offered via Summer BreakSpot oganization. For information on sites near you, use the interactive-map feature online, or phone 2-1-1 & inquire, or Text FoodFl to 877-877
- 2-1-1 Broward is free helpline offering referrals for Broward residents, dial 2-1-1 or website
- Pantry of Broward is occasionally offering free drive-through distributions, 610 NW 3rd Avenue Fort Lauderdale 33311, information online
- Pantry of Broward offers food assistance program, including home deliveries, for seniors and grandparents with custody of grandchildren, are receiving home deliveries, information on eligibility online or 954-358-1481
- Food pantry at Soref JCC in Plantation, drive-through pick-ups by appointment. To receive an appointment, participants need to register with a partnering social service agency. For information on social service agencies, use Broward 2-1-1, online or dial 211
Food aid for seniors
- Dial 2-1-1 on your phone for free helpline offering information on services
- Area Agency on Aging of Broward’s Elder Helpline for seniors over 60 in need of food, 954.745.9779
- Pantry of Broward offers food assistance program, including home deliveries, for seniors and grandparents with custody of grandchildren, are receiving home deliveries, information on eligibility online or 954-358-1481
- Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami is providing meals to those in need 60 or older, who live independently in their homes and are registered with the program, information is online
- Meals On Wheels South Florida offers free food to eligible home-bound seniors 60 & older, apply 954-714-6946 or online
- Aging & Disability Resource Center assists with food delivery for seniors who self-quarantined, 954-745-9779 for information, or online
Food Assistance For Pets
Read Animal organizations in South Florida offer opportunities for free pet food
More Food Information
More Useful Resources
- Rent, utilities & other financial resources for Florida residents
- Sheriff’s Office offers free shredding & prescription disposal
- Dial 2-1-1: Free Broward helpline offers info on food, financial & other resources
- Where to get COVID vaccines in Broward: UPDATED
- Farms sell produce in South Florida
- Deals for veterans, first responders & other front-line heroes
- Free employment resources & recruiting fairs
- Register For Free Library e-card For Online Resources
- Free food-distribution events, summer distributions for students & requests for donations
- ACA enrollment in Florida reopens for health insurance
Gail says
As a volunteer at the food drive in Corsl Springs, can you encourage people to clean out their trunk and put a cooler wirh ice packs for the frozen and cold food (milk, oj, etc). Or cloth food bags or boxes. It makes it alot safer for the cold snd frozen food and is easier on volunteers.
FAITH McGee says
THANK YOU