Food Banks Listed for Polk County, Florida
We found 10 food banks listed for Polk County, Florida. Call before you go to confirm hours and what to bring. You can also see food pantries in Polk County, Florida.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida
Phone: (407) 295-1066
Address: 411 Mercy Dr, Orlando, FL 32805. Get Directions
Hours: Call for hours
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is a private, nonprofit organization that collects, stores and distributes donated food to more than 500 partner agencies in six Central Florida counties: Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia. Vision: A Hunger-Free Central Florida. Mission: To Fight Hunger in Central Florida
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
Call (407) 295-1066 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Cities:
- Orlando
Help Residents of Counties:
- Lake
- Polk
- Osceola
- Orange
- Seminole
- Brevard
- Volusia
Harry Chapin Food Bank
Phone: (239) 334-7007
Address: 2221 Corporation Blvd, Naples, FL 34109. Get Directions
Listed hours, call to confirm:
- Mon: 08:00 AM - 03:00 PM
- Tues: 08:00 AM - 11:30 AM
- Wed: Closed
- Thurs: 08:00 AM - 11:30 AM
- Fri: 08:00 AM - 03:00 PM
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
Mobile Pantry Program provides food to our neighbors in need through direct service. We distribute fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, beans and rice, and other staples to clients who would otherwise not be able to access such food.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
Call (239) 334-7007 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Cities:
- Naples
- Fort Myers
Help Residents of Counties:
- Lee
- Collier
- Polk
United Food Bank of Plant City
Phone: (813) 764-0625
Address: 702 E Alsobrook St, Plant City, FL 33563. Get Directions
Listed hours, call to confirm:
- Mon: 08:00 AM - 04:00 PM
- Tues: 08:00 AM - 06:45 PM
- Wed: 08:00 AM - 04:00 PM
- Thurs: 08:00 AM - 04:00 PM
- Fri: 08:00 AM - 04:00 PM
- Sat: Closed
- Sun: Closed
United Food Bank and Services of Plant City provides assistance for the needy by moving them from a “state of hunger” and “impoverishment” to self-sufficiency, empowerment and self-reliance.
Food distribution program serves food on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 12:00-3:30 pm, with late hours on Tuesday 12:00-6:45 pm for those in need living in Eastern Hillsborough County.
Documents required to receive assistance are:
-Current Photo Id (Driver’s license or state ID)
-Original social security cards for all family members receiving help
-Current proof of address;
-Utility Bill, Rent Receipt or Lease Agreement.
Please call us at 813 764-0625 to get more information.
Services provided :
- food pantry
- meals
Appointments :
Call (813) 764-0625 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Counties:
- Polk
- Pasco
- Hillsborough
Nativity Food Bank
Phone: (813) 707-1523
Address: 13295 Us Hwy 92 E, Dover, FL 33527. Get Directions
Hours: Call for hours
Nativity Food Bank supplements 47 small food pantries and street ministries on a weekly basis and 14 others occasionally. These organizations are registered to determine need and tax-exempt status. Also, 93,368 pounds of pet food was distributed to a local pet charity in the area.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
Call (813) 707-1523 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Cities:
- Dover
Help Residents of Counties:
- Polk
- Pasco
- Pinellas
- Hillsborough
Operation Productive Endeavor - Food Bank
Phone: (813) 622-7151
Address: 6912 Williams Rd, Seffner, FL 33584. Get Directions
Hours: Call for hours
The Food Bank provides food to people at risk of hunger in the greater Tampa Bay. During the past several years more than 7,000 individuals and families have been fed via our food bank. The Food Bank is here for you in times of emergency and is open to all. Recipients must bring in a valid photo ID and proof of residence. Recipients are able to be served no more than once a month. Assistance is available Wednesday through Friday from 10am-4pm.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
Call (813) 622-7151 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Cities:
- Seffner
Help Residents of Counties:
- Polk
- Manatee
- Pasco
- Pinellas
- Hillsborough
Catholic Charities/Agape Food Bank
Phone: (863) 665-7074
Address: 625 Mccue Rd Unit 2, Lakeland, FL 33815. Get Directions
Hours: Call for hours
Agape Food Bank is one of several programs that Catholic Charities of Central Florida operates in its Western Region (Polk, Hardee, and Highland counties). Agape takes a multi-faceted approach to serving the community. We collect more than 6 million pounds of donated food, distributing it to an estimated 100,000 needy families and individuals in Polk, Hardee and Highlands counties. We do so mainly through our members, a network of more than 250 soup kitchens, churches, senior centers and other not-for-profits. We also rely on powerful national and regional partners:
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
Call (863) 665-7074 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Cities:
- Lakeland
Help Residents of Counties:
- Polk
- Osceola
- Lake
- Hillsborough
- Pasco
- Hardee
Osceola Council On Aging - Osceola County Food Bank
Phone: (407) 846-8532
Address: 700 Generation Pt, Kissimmee, FL 34744. Get Directions
Hours: Call for hours
The Osceola County Food Bank provides food bags to seniors, disabled adults and disadvantaged families. The Osceola Council on Aging began providing food assistance programs to the Osceola County community more than 40 years ago and has evolved to provide nutrition assistance to more than 40,000 needy households every year. In 2012, emergency food baskets were distributed to 48,785 disadvantaged seniors and families through 20 local food pantries. 558,709 pounds of food was also served to low-income residents. The Council leverages TEFAP USDA foods with locally donated foods and funded social service programs to provide more comprehensive food packages and services to meet increasing demands in the number of low-income households served in our community. The Osceola County Food Bank relies on community volunteers to assist by donating food through community or work place food drives and monitory donations. The Osceola Council on Aging works with local community partners like the Harmony Institute and Osceola County Grown to purchase crops for use in meal production and for food distribution to disadvantaged Osceola County residents.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
Call (407) 846-8532 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Cities:
- Kissimmee
Help Residents of Counties:
- Polk
- Osceola
- Orange
- Lake
Heartland Food Bank
Phone: (863) 385-7885
Address: 227 Us 27 S, Sebring, FL 33870. Get Directions
Hours: Call for hours
Heartland Food Reservoir, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501 (c) 3 doing business as the Heartland Food Bank. The organization was incorporated in 2007 with the sole purpose of establishing a food bank in Highlands County. The Food Bank is a member of the Feeding America food bank network, the largest domestic hunger relief organization in the United States.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
Call (863) 385-7885 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Cities:
- Sebring
Help Residents of Counties:
- Hardee
- Highlands
- Okeechobee
- Polk
Church Food Banks in Polk County, Florida
Some churches in and around Polk County, Florida run food banks or serve free meals.
Many welcome anyone who needs a meal. Some also offer services such as showers, laundry, mail, or I.D. assistance, so call ahead to confirm what is available.
Grace Street Church of God Food Bank
Phone: (407) 298-9188
Address: 2860 Grace St, Apopka, FL 32703. Get Directions
Hours: Call for hours
Grace Street Food Bank Is Now Open To Those In Need
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
Call (407) 298-9188 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Cities:
- Apopka
Help Residents of Counties:
- Lake
- Volusia
- Orange
- Polk
- Seminole
- Brevard
- Marion
- Osceola
- Sumter
First Baptist Church of Gibsonton - Food Bank
Phone: (813) 677-1301
Address: 9912 Indiana St, Gibsonton, FL 33534. Get Directions
Hours: Call for hours
First Baptist Gibsonton offers its parishioners that qualify, a limited membership to our Food Bank. There are restrictions and limits in place so everyone that attends church regularly and is in need of help with groceries to make ends meet is afforded an opportunity to receive a blessing from this food ministry.
Services provided :
- food pantry
Appointments :
Call (813) 677-1301 to ask about hours, whether you need an appointment, and what to bring.
Help Residents of Cities:
- Gibsonton
Help Residents of Counties:
- Polk
- Manatee
- Pinellas
- Pasco
- Hillsborough
Food prices remain high. The FAO Food Price Index averaged 136.0 points in September 2026, up 5.8% from a year earlier.
A 36% price increase over the 2014-2016 base period shows that hunger is a public health issue of critical importance.
The most vulnerable demographic of society is taking the brunt of this economic pressure. Now more than ever, low-income families must rely on Florida Free Clinics, Florida Food Stamps, and food banks.
This guide will list helpful information about food banks in Polk County, Florida and organizations that can help curb hunger, how you can use their services and where to find them.
What is a Food Bank?
Food banks are non-profit charitable organizations that assist financially vulnerable populations by distributing food. Their main objective is to help low-income individuals 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.
A food bank in Polk County, Florida 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. It is stored in a large climate-controlled warehouse.
- 3. A food bank in Polk County, Florida distributes food to various non-profits for distribution.
- 4. Food reaches people who are in need.
Who can use Food Banks?
Many food banks and food pantries in Polk County, Florida 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, and some food banks have none. Some let you come during their days and times of operation, and they will help if they are able.
Here are some tips before you go:
- 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.
Second Harvest Food Bank
Many communities across the United States are served by food banks that use the Second Harvest name.
These food banks help families facing hard choices between food, housing, medicine, and other necessities. Any Second Harvest food banks we have listed for Polk County, Florida appear in the list above.
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.
High food costs continue to put pressure on America's most vulnerable citizens. Feeding America reports that its network provides 5.9 billion meals a year.
The Feeding America network has grown through donations and other charitable efforts to be able to deliver much-needed food via food rescue, hunger relief programs, and disaster response.
A listing on this page doesn't mean an organization is part of the Feeding America network. To find a member food bank, use Feeding America's finder.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal program that helps obtain badly needed food for low-income people and families. SNAP is also known as Food Stamp.
Nationally, SNAP served approximately 42 million Americans per month in fiscal year 2025. To ask about SNAP benefits in Polk County, Florida, contact your state SNAP office. 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 fiscal year 2025, about 12.3% of the U.S. population received SNAP benefits in an average month.
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?
Polk County food banks often have items like:
- Peanut butter
- Canned soup
- Canned fruit
- Canned vegetables
- Pasta
- Canned beans
- Canned stew
- Canned fish
3. How do you qualify for Polk County food bank assistance?
Requirements vary, and some food banks and pantries ask for no paperwork at all. Call ahead. Some may ask you to bring:
- A state-issued ID
- Social Security numbers of household members
- A bill or other mail that shows your address
- Proof of income, such as a bank statement