Partner pantry network
118 church, school and neighborhood pantries we supply weekly, most open at least two days a week.
Feeding six counties since 1982
No one in this valley should skip dinner
We move food from growers, manufacturers and grocers into 118 neighborhood pantries, school backpack programs and mobile markets that park where the need is.
14M lbsdistributed last year
118partner pantries
$1 = 4meals provided
43 yrsserving the valley
Programs
Getting food to people where they already are
Every program below is free to the people who use it, no proof of income required.
Mobile market
A refrigerated truck sets up in 22 rural and low access neighborhoods on a published monthly route.
School backpack program
Weekend food packed discreetly into student backpacks at 41 schools every Friday.
Senior grocery box
A monthly 35 pound shelf stable box for adults over 60, delivered to 14 senior housing sites.
Fresh produce rescue
Same day pickup of surplus from area farms and grocery distribution centers, sorted and out within 48 hours.
SNAP application help
Trained navigators sit down with you and complete the application in one visit, in person or by phone.
About Riverbend
A warehouse, a fleet and a lot of neighbors
Riverbend began in 1982 when four church pantries pooled a rented cooler. Today we operate a 62,000 square foot warehouse, seven trucks and a volunteer corps that logs over 40,000 hours a year. We do not run pantries ourselves, we supply the people who already know their neighbors.
•Every dollar donated moves roughly four meals through the network
•Financial statements and the annual audit posted publicly each spring
•Fresh produce and protein now make up 58 percent of what we distribute
Reviews
Voices from the network
“After my hours got cut the mobile market kept my kids in fruit and milk. Nobody asked me to prove anything or made me feel small.”
Tanya W., Mobile market, Clinton
“Our small church pantry serves 90 families a week. There is no way we could source that ourselves. Riverbend's truck shows up every Tuesday without fail.”
Pastor Dan H., Partner pantry coordinator
“I volunteer on the Thursday sort line. The produce rescue operation is genuinely impressive, food that would have been plowed under is on a table by the weekend.”
Greg P., Volunteer since 2017
FAQ
Getting food and giving help
Do I need to prove I need help?
No. Our partner pantries ask for your name, household size and zip code so we can report totals to funders, and that is all. There is no income test, no documentation and no citizenship requirement at any Riverbend supplied site.
How often can I visit a pantry?
Most partner pantries allow one visit per week, and the mobile market is once per monthly stop. If your household hits an emergency between visits, call us and we will connect you with a pantry that has an emergency box available that day.
What food do you actually need donated?
The highest need items are canned protein, peanut butter, low sodium canned vegetables, shelf stable milk and cooking oil. We cannot accept anything home canned, opened, or past its date. A financial gift stretches further than a food drive because we buy by the pallet at wholesale, roughly four meals per dollar.
How do volunteer shifts work?
Warehouse sort shifts run weekday mornings and afternoons plus Saturday morning, three hours each, and you sign up online for the dates you want. Groups of up to 25 can book a private shift. Volunteers must be 12 or older, and 12 to 15 year olds need an adult with them on the floor.
Contact
Find a pantry or lend a hand
Call for the nearest pantry and its hours, or to book a volunteer shift. If you represent an organization with surplus food, ask for our sourcing team.
Phone(563) 555-0129
Address4100 W River Dr, Davenport, Iowa
HoursMon to Fri 8am to 4:30pm, distribution Sat 9am to 12pm
AreaScott, Clinton, Muscatine, Cedar, Jackson and Louisa counties