Donating food this holiday season? What you need to know about canned goods

At the Nipomo Food Basket, fresh produce and canned goods come in every day, but organizers say not all donations are safe to distribute.

Checking your canned goods before you donate could make a big difference for families in need.

Within an hour of opening Monday morning, the Nipomo Food Basket had already given away 30 assembled donation boxes and volunteers were preparing even more.

Leon Leornas is the president of the Nipomo Food Basket. He says donations ranging from fresh produce to canned goods come in daily. While neighbors mean well, Leornas says there are times he can’t give out some of the donated canned goods.

“There are times when people unfortunately clean out their pantry and we get product that’s in here is just a few years old and I’ll never give those out, never,” Leornas said.

Leornas says dented and scratched cans are accepted. However, no matter the condition, he says cans must be rust-free and unexpired.

The Nipomo Food Basket is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.