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Get Involved › Donate Food

Every Can Counts.
Every Bag Matters.

GWIM distributes over 40,000 pounds of groceries every month to families across Greater Waterbury. Your food donation goes straight to a neighbor in need.

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770 East Main St, Waterbury Mon – Fri, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM 203-757-7734
Most Needed Items

What We Accept

Our Food Pantry serves 450+ families on peak distribution days. These items go fastest and are always in demand.

  • Non-perishable canned goods (vegetables, fruit, soup, tuna)
  • Rice, pasta, and dry beans
  • Peanut butter and nut butters
  • Cereal and oatmeal
  • Shelf-stable milk and juice boxes
  • Canned proteins (chicken, tuna, salmon)
  • Crackers, granola bars, and kid-friendly snacks
  • Baby food and formula (unopened)
  • Personal care items (soap, shampoo, toothpaste, diapers)
  • Holiday staples (stuffing, cranberry sauce, canned yams, pie filling)
  • Cooking basics (cooking oil, flour, sugar, salt)
  • Treats for the Kidz Club and Kids Corner
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Please Check Dates Before You Donate

We can only distribute items that are within their use-by date. Pull anything expired before you pack your bag, and leave dented or rusted cans out. If you are unsure about an item, call 203-757-7734 before dropping off.

A Few Things We Can't Take

What We Can't Accept

For safety and distribution reasons, we can't pass these along to families. When in doubt, give us a call first.

  • Expired, past-date, or nearly-expired items
  • Homemade or home-canned food
  • Opened, partial, or repackaged goods
  • Dented, leaking, or rusted cans
  • Alcohol or food containing alcohol
  • Fresh or frozen items without calling ahead
A Quick, Honest Note

Your dollar feeds more families than your can does.

Food donations matter. We'd never turn away a bag of groceries, and some of the most meaningful donations GWIM receives are hand-packed by kids, classrooms, and neighbors who just want to help.

We'll also tell you the truth: because of our wholesale partnerships with regional food distributors, every dollar you give buys considerably more food than a dollar spent at retail. If you're weighing the two, funds move the most meals.

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Host a Food Drive

Bigger Impact, Together

Food drives are where food donations really shine. One person brings a bag. A classroom brings a pallet. Here's who's doing it across Greater Waterbury.

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Schools & Classrooms

Elementary, middle, and high school drives teach kids where their help lands. A homeroom competition can fill a pantry shelf in a week.

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Churches & Faith Groups

Parish drives, youth groups, and congregational collections have kept GWIM running since 1933. Thanksgiving and Lent drives are the biggest of the year.

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Businesses & Offices

Lobby collection bins, match-a-can employee drives, and quarterly company-wide giving days. Great fit for banks, law firms, healthcare offices, and manufacturers.

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Scouts & Civic Groups

Scouting for Food, Rotary, Lions Club, civic associations. Community service hours, badge requirements, and an easy yes for members of any age.

Want to run a drive?

Call 203-757-7734 or email gwimsk@forhungry.com and we'll help you plan it: wishlist flyer, collection timing, and drop-off coordination so everything gets to a family that needs it.

Shop & Drop

Grocery Stops on the Way to GWIM

Running an errand anyway? Pick up a few extra non-perishables at any of these stores and swing by 770 East Main St on the same trip.

Price Rite Marketplace
1105 W Main St, Waterbury
About 2 mi west of GWIM
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ShopRite of Brass Mill
495 Union St, Waterbury
About 1.5 mi from GWIM
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Stop & Shop Waterbury Plaza
920 Wolcott St, Waterbury
About 3 mi north of GWIM
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BJ's Wholesale Club
945 Wolcott St, Waterbury
Great for bulk drives
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Big Y World Class Market
909 Wolcott St, Waterbury
About 3 mi from GWIM
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Aldi Waterbury
235 Chase Ave, Waterbury
About 2 mi from GWIM
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Drop Off From Anywhere in Greater Waterbury

Driving Directions to 770 East Main St

770 East Main Street, Waterbury, CT 06702. Easy to reach from every direction across the region.

From Downtown Waterbury
Take East Main St eastbound for about 1 mile. GWIM is on the right at 770 East Main St.
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From Town Plot
Take Route 63 or West Main St toward Downtown, then continue east on East Main St to 770 East Main.
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From Bunker Hill / North End
Take North Main St south toward Downtown, then left onto East Main St and head east.
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From Naugatuck
Route 8 North to Exit 27 (East Main St). Turn right. GWIM is about half a mile on the right.
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From Wolcott
Take Wolcott Rd (Route 69) south into Waterbury, then left onto East Main St to 770 East Main.
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From Middlebury
Route 64 east into Waterbury, then left onto East Main St. GWIM is at 770 East Main on the right.
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From Watertown
Route 8 South to Exit 31 (West Main St), then east through Downtown and onto East Main St.
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From Prospect
Route 68 west into Waterbury, then onto East Main St west toward Downtown. GWIM is on the right.
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From Cheshire / Southington
I-84 West to Exit 22, follow Route 69 into Waterbury, then right onto East Main St.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Donor Questions, Answered

First time donating? Here's what you need to know before you arrive at 770 East Main St.

Yes. GWIM is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Ask a staff member at drop-off and we'll write you a receipt. For company drives or large donations, call ahead and we can have paperwork ready.
Regular drop-off is Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. We don't have weekend staffing to receive and store donations safely. Please plan around weekday hours, or call 203-757-7734 if you need to arrange something special.
We love fresh and frozen donations but they need coordination so nothing spoils. Call first at 203-757-7734. Gardeners with surplus produce, please reach out, we'll figure out timing together.
No, for safety reasons we can only distribute commercially sealed and labeled food. It's a food safety rule shared by every pantry in Connecticut, not a reflection on your cooking.
For larger company drives, school collections, or restaurant and grocery surplus, call us at 203-757-7734. We'll coordinate the best way to get it to 770 East Main St.
Both are welcome. Food donations help directly and matter especially for drives and community giving. Funds stretch further because we source from wholesale food distributors instead of retail shelves, so one dollar buys more groceries than one dollar spent at a store. If you want the most meals per dollar, give funds. If giving food feels right, your bag fills our shelves, and we are grateful.
Personal care items are always in short supply: soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, diapers, feminine hygiene products, and household essentials like laundry soap and toilet paper. SNAP benefits don't cover any of these, so they go fast. Volunteer hours are also a huge help.
Service Area

Serving Greater Waterbury

Open to neighbors from every corner of the region. No residency check, no forms to start.

Waterbury neighborhoods

Town PlotBunker HillNorth EndSouth EndEast EndWest EndBrooklynWatervilleBucks HillEast Mountain

Surrounding towns

NaugatuckWolcottMiddleburyThomastonProspectWatertownCheshire
Finding Us

Driving to 770 East Main St

770 East Main Street, Waterbury, CT 06702. Easy to reach from every direction across the region.

From Downtown Waterbury
Take East Main St eastbound for about 1 mile. GWIM is on the right at 770 East Main St.
Open in Maps ›
From Town Plot
Route 63 or West Main St toward Downtown, then continue east on East Main St.
Open in Maps ›
From Bunker Hill / North End
North Main St south toward Downtown, then left onto East Main St.
Open in Maps ›
From Washington Hill / South End
South Main St north, right onto East Main St.
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From East End / East Mountain
Follow East Main St west toward Downtown. GWIM is on the left.
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From Naugatuck / Wolcott
Route 8 North to Exit 27 (East Main St). Turn right.
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From Thomaston
Route 8 South to Exit 36, then East Main St west. GWIM on the right.
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From Prospect
Route 68 west into Waterbury, then onto East Main St west toward Downtown.
Open in Maps ›
From Middlebury / Watertown
Route 64 east into Waterbury, then East Main St. GWIM is at 770 East Main.
Open in Maps ›
Need More Than Food?

GWIM Crisis Resource Directory

Need rarely comes alone. Our free regional directory connects you to 37+ vetted organizations across Greater Waterbury covering shelter, healthcare, legal aid, utilities, domestic violence, and more.

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Your Donation in Context

Every can, every bag, every dollar goes into this work.

40K+
Pounds Distributed Monthly
To families across Greater Waterbury
450+
Families Served on Peak Days
Last Monday of the month
90+
Years Feeding Waterbury
Founded 1933

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