The NestEggg Food Bank at The Center of Palm Springs, California

The NestEggg Food Bank is a flagship initiative of The Center that provides nutritional assistance for seniors and people with disabilities. Every Thursday evening all year long, we host a clean, safe and accessible Food Bank that provides FREE groceries for up to 275 households each week. Since 2008, the Food Bank at the Center has been providing fresh produce, baked goods, meat, canned goods, dairy and more to low-income Riverside County residents 55 years of age or older, and individuals who receive disability benefits, regardless of their age. Proof of residency in Riverside County and verification of disability benefits are required and all are welcome if they meet these basic requirements. The distribution of food happens every Thursday at 610 S. Belardo Rd. (Seniors starting at 6pm and People with Disabilities after Seniors have been served). If this is your first visit, bring a photo ID showing your Riverside County residency and verification of disability payments, if applicable, and proceed to the registration table to the right by the outside front door at 6:00 pm. Because we can only provide this service to a limited number of people each week, please contact The Center to see if we are taking new Food Bank Clients. The Program is limited to serving only 14,300 households a year, and is often at capacity. In working to reduce and eliminate hunger for these families, we’re building advocacy networks that are addressing this issue, not only in the LGBT community, but county-wide. The NestEggg Food Bank at The Center is so named in recognition of a substantial contribution from the NestEggg Group, LLC. The NestEggg Food Bank at The Center also receives support from The City of Rancho Mirage, The City of Palm Springs, FIND Food Bank, The Palm Springs Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, The Jewish Federation of the Desert, The Desert Regional Medical Center Auxiliary, Hidden Harvest, Desert Healthcare District, The Riverside County Foundation on Aging, and Supervisor John Benoit as well as individual contributions from members and local business owners.

Services provided :

  • Prepared Foods
  • Fresh Produce
  • After School Snacks
  • Senior Meal Delivery
  • Emergency Box

Appointments :

You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7. For the full set of services, you can call (760) 416-7790 to book your appointment.

Address :

610 S Belardo Rd,
Palm Springs, CA 92264.
Get Directions

Hours Of Operations :

  • Mon:
  • Tues:
  • Wed:
  • Thurs:
  • Fri:
  • Sat:
  • Sun:

Help Residents of Cities:

  • Palm Springs

Help Residents of Counties:

  • Riverside

Appointments

You can privately and easily book your appointment online for select services 24/7.

For the full set of services, you can call (760) 416-7790 to book your appointment. Staff can also answer any questions you may have.

Food Bank in Near By County

Questions to Ask

Remember always to call ahead and find out few basic information to recieve food.

  • What are your hours of operation?
  • Where can I pick up the food I need?

Document Requirements

Please ask about documents required to prove elibility. So of the questions to ask

  • Do I need to bring photo identification?
  • Do I need to bring a piece of mail (like an electrical bill) that shows my name and address?
  • Do I need to bring proof of income or bank account statements?
  • Do I need to register for service, or is it “first come: first serve”?

What is a Food Bank?

Food banks are non-profit charitable organizations that assist financially vulnerable populations by distributing food. Their main objectives is to help low-income individual and families by providing food.

They will work through other 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations like food pantries and soup kitchens. Sometimes they distribute the food themselves via mobile pantry.

Food bank serves as a single collection and distribution point for food donations. They operate much like a for-profit food distributor, but they do not use retailers. Instead, they may use church food banks, charities, and other non-profit food pantries to provide food to the people to fight hunger.

How the Food Bank Works?

  • 1. Food is donated to a food bank.
  • 2. Its stored in a big climate controlled warehouse.
  • 3. Food Bank distributes food to various non-profits for distribution.
  • 4. Food reaches to who are in need.

how food bank works

Who can use Food Banks?

Many food banks and food pantries are locally run, with others managed at the state or federal level. Qualification to receive nutrition assistance from food programs depends on the type.

There are different qualifying requirements, but many food banks have none. Just show up during their days and times of operation, and they will help if they are able.

Here are the tips while .

  • It is highly advisable to call ahead before you arrive!
  • Ask about any eligibility or documentation requirements they may have.
  • If required, bring all required documents when you use their services.

Feeding America

John van Hengel, the founder of St. Mary's Food Bank, went on to create a national organization for food banks. The Feeding America organization is a leader in the nation’s domestic hunger-relief efforts.

The Coronavirus epidemic put even more pressure on America’s most vulnerable citizens. Feeding America has helped serve 6.6 billion meals to date.

The Feeding America have grown through donations and other charitable efforts to be able to deliver much-needed food via food rescue, hunger relief programs, and disaster response.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federally run program that helps obtain badly needed food for low-income people and families. SNAP program is also known as Food Stamp.

SNAP benefits in Riverside supplied approximately 40 million Americans in 2018. It is the most extensive nutrition program administered by Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and is a vital component of the social safety net for low-income Americans.

In 2017, roughly 9.2% of American households obtained SNAP benefits, with about 16.7% of all children living in homes benefiting.

The program had used paper "stamps" or coupons in the past – worth $1 (brown), $5 (blue), and $10 (green). These were bound into small booklets of various denominations, to be torn out individually and used in single-use exchanges.

Free Food Programs Summary

Acronym Name For Moms & Kids For Seniors For Food Bank
SNAP Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Yes Yes No
TEFAP The Emergency Food Assistance Program Yes Yes Yes
CSFP The Commodity Supplemental Food Program No Yes Yes
CACFP The Child and Adult Care Food Program Yes Yes No
NSLP The National School Lunch Program Yes No No
SBP The School Breakfast Program Yes No No
SFSP The Summer Food Service Program Yes No No
WIC Women, Infants, and Children Yes No No

FAQ(Frequently Asked Questions)

1. What is the difference between a food bank and a food pantry?

Independent community food pantries are self-governing and usually distribute food to their clients on a once-a-month basis. A food bank is the storehouse for millions of pounds of food and other products that go out to the community. A food pantry functions as the arms that reach out to that community directly.

2. What kind of food is at a food Bank?

Specifically, in Riverside food banks often need items like:

  • Peanut butter
  • Canned soup
  • Canned fruit
  • Canned vegetables
  • Pasta
  • Canned beans
  • Canned stew
  • Canned fish

3. How do you qualify for in Riverside food bank assistance?

To qualify for food bank assistance you must provide:

  • Current state-issued ID
  • Social Security numbers of all household members
  • Current electric bill to prove residence
  • Bank Statement for income verification