ICS expands drop-off sites for annual Fall Food Drive

Interfaith Community Services launches its annual Fall Food Drive on Thursday, Oct. 1. The drive runs through Saturday, Oct. 31, and aims to stock ICS Food Banks for the holiday season.

ICS calls the Fall Food Drive its biggest campaign of the year. The effort collects pantry staples for the Northwest and Mobile Food Banks, plus seasonal items that let ICS clients enjoy a holiday meal with family.

Why the drive matters this year

Tom McKinney, CEO of ICS, said rising costs make the holidays especially hard for struggling families.

"For families already stretched thin, putting food on the table can mean making impossible choices between groceries and other basic needs," McKinney said.

He added that ICS food banks offer more than meals during the season.

"Food from an ICS Food Bank provides more than essential nourishment, it offers relief, dignity, and the reassurance that no family has to face these challenges alone," McKinney said. "That spirit of compassion and community is what makes a real difference, especially when it matters most."

What to donate

ICS requests holiday food items throughout October. Needed items include:

• Boxed or bagged stuffing mix

• Canned vegetables

• Baking mixes

• Instant or fresh potatoes and yams

• Cranberry sauce

• Cream of mushroom soup

• Gravy mix or canned gravy

• Canned fruit

• Canned pumpkin

Community members can also donate money at icstucson.org/how-you-can-help/donate to help ICS purchase holiday food for families.

ICS also accepts year-round pantry staples alongside the seasonal drive. Most-needed items include canned meats such as tuna, chicken, and Spam, pop-top meals like chili and ravioli, canned pasta sauce and pasta, and diapers and wipes in both child and adult sizes.

Where to drop off donations

ICS accepts donations at its own offices and a growing list of community partner sites across Tucson. Drop-off locations include:

• ICS Northwest Office & Food Bank, 2820 W. Ina Rd. (Christ the King Episcopal Church): 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 a.m. to noon Fridays, and 8 to 10 a.m. Saturdays

• ICS Central Office, 122 N. Craycroft Rd. (Rincon Congregational UCC): 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to noon Fridays

• ICS Eastside Food Drop-off, 8701 E. Old Spanish Trail (New Spirit Lutheran Church): contact Brandon Miller at (520) 244-3180 to schedule a drop-off

• Guyton Chiropractic, 8567 N. Silverbell Rd., Suite 211

• Habitat for Humanity HabiStore, 935 W. Grant Rd.

• LA Fitness, Ina location, 2950 W. Ina Rd.

• LA Fitness, Cortaro Farms location, 5885 W. Arizona Pavilions Dr., Marana

• LA Fitness, Oracle Road location, 8850 N. Oracle Rd., Oro Valley

• Sage Therapeutic Pilates, 10130 N. Oracle Rd., Suite 130

• Town of Oro Valley Recreation Center, 10555 N. La Cañada Dr.

• West Press, 1663 W. Grant Rd.

• YMCA North, 7770 N. Shannon Rd.

Host a team drive

ICS invites schools, workplaces, faith communities, clubs, neighborhoods, sports teams, and scout troops to host their own team drive. Groups collect food together and drop off their donation at an ICS location or partner site.

ICS highlights participating organizations on its social media using the hashtag #ICSfallfood. Those interested in organizing a team drive can find more information at icstucson.org/fallfood.

The Fall Food Drive joins other ICS fundraising efforts throughout the year, including Empty Bowls Tucson, the organization's annual pottery and soup fundraiser.

About Interfaith Community Services

Founded in 1985, ICS supports food-insecure, unhoused, low-income, aging, and disabled individuals in Pima County. The organization holds a Platinum GuideStar rating and has earned four stars from Charity Navigator every year since 2011. Learn more at icstucson.org.