One extra item in your cart
That's it. That's the program. Feeding our neighbors doesn't take a fundraiser or a food drive. It takes a green bag by your door and one extra can of something good every time you shop.
How it works
1. Get your green bag
Sign up through our contact page and a coordinator will get one to you.
2. Fill it a little at a time
Each time you shop, add one or two extra nonperishable items to your cart and drop them in the bag at home.
3. Hand it off on pickup day
Pickup day is the second Saturday of every even-numbered month. Each group does it a little differently. In Island View, bags go on the porch by 9 am. The Cold Plungers bring theirs on the Thursday before pickup. Your coordinator will let you know how your group does it.
4. We take it from there
Your coordinator delivers everything to the Port Townsend Food Bank on pickup Saturday morning, and you get an empty bag for next time.
Upcoming pickup days
- 2026Oct 10
- 2026Dec 12
- 2027Feb 13
- 2027Apr 10
- 2027Jun 12
- 2027Aug 14
- 2027Oct 9
- 2027Dec 11
What the Food Bank needs most
From the Port Townsend Food Bank's own list at jcfba.org. We update it as their needs change.
- Canned meat (chicken, seafood, beef, Spam) and shelf-stable boxed tofu
- Canned soups, stews and chili
- Boxed dinner mixes, meal kits, ramen and boxed broth
- Canned tomatoes and tomato sauce, marinara sauce
- Canned fruits, vegetables and beans
- Nut butters, jam, jelly and honey
- Jerky, dried fruits and nuts
- Boxed cereal, pancake mix, flour and sugar
- Cooking oil and shelf-stable egg products
- Shelf-stable milk and milk alternatives
- Coffee and tea
The Food Bank also welcomes unopened personal care items, baby supplies and factory-sealed pet food.
Please skip these
A few things the Food Bank can't pass along:
- Anything expired or past its use-by date
- Opened packages, home-cooked food or leftovers
- Cans with sharp dents along the seams, bulging or rust
- Fresh produce
- Frozen or refrigerated items (a green bag sits on a porch, so shelf-stable only)
Questions people ask
How do I get my first green bag?
Send us a message through the contact page and choose “I want to contribute.” A coordinator will get a bag to you before the next pickup day.
How much am I supposed to contribute?
Whatever your cart can spare. Most people buy one extra item per shopping trip, which fills a bag nicely over two months. There is no minimum, no maximum and nobody is keeping score. A bag with three cans in it is three cans the Food Bank didn't have before.
When are pickup days?
The second Saturday of every even-numbered month, six times a year. Your coordinator will tell you how and when your group hands off its bags. The next date is always front and center on our home page.
What if I'm out of town on pickup day?
Let us know through the contact page and we'll work out another time. The food always finds its way.
What should I put in the bag, and what should I skip?
Nonperishable, unopened and within its use-by date. The Food Bank's most-needed list is on this page. Skip anything expired, opened, homemade, frozen or in a badly dented can.
Where does the food actually go?
To the Port Townsend Food Bank at 1925 Blaine Street, on pickup Saturday morning. Every bag is weighed on arrival, which is how we track our totals on the Impact page. Everything stays in Jefferson County.
My neighborhood doesn't have a coordinator yet. Can I still join?
Yes. Use the contact page and choose “I'm new, help me find my group” and we'll connect you to the nearest one. Or become the coordinator your street has been waiting for. We'll help.
Does my group have to be a neighborhood?
Not at all. Our first group ever was a cold plunge club. Any bunch of people who already gather, whether that's a game night, a congregation or a trail crew, can pass a green bag around.
Can I give money instead of food?
Every can and box we collect goes straight to the Food Bank. If dollars for food are easier for you, give directly to the Jefferson County Food Bank Association, where they stretch every dollar further than a grocery run can. The Food Project itself has a few costs of its own, like green bags, flyers and window clings. Our volunteers cover those for now, and we'll have a fun fundraiser or two to help. Watch our Events page for barstool bingo.
Is it safe to leave food on my porch?
Please cover your bag to keep the rain off, and set it somewhere critters can't get into it. Raccoons, the neighbor's dog and the occasional herd of brush-clearing goats love a green bag as much as we do. Your bag is yours to look after until your coordinator picks it up.
What if I have more than fits in my bag?
Wonderful! Set the extra right next to your green bag and we'll know it's for the Food Bank. Feel free to mark it too, with a note that says “Food Bank” or anything that makes it clear.
Who runs all this?
Neighbors. Nobody is paid and there is no office. The few costs of running the project, like green bags, flyers and this website, are covered by our volunteers for now, with a simple fundraiser in the works. We're the Port Townsend branch of the national Neighborhood Food Project network, coordinated locally by volunteers and held together by green bags and goodwill.