The little town where my kids went and go to school has a really nice food pantry. The school sometimes collects food, and once we got to deliver it. Its a tiny little building, but they give the food away free to people in need. I think they also get tooth paste, ect. They also ask people to donate things like HM scarves, hats and mittens, and hang them on a tree at the library there. The stuff is given to kids at Christmas....can you imagine a child with no hat or mittens in Winter in Wisconsin? I have donated carves, and boughten gloves. Wish Icould knit better, some of the hats, ect are beautiful!
Our big nearest city has Coats for Kids bins all over....if you have an extra warm coat to donate you toss it in the bin at grocery stores, ect, and a dry cleaner cleans them for the poor. I have also seen bins for the Humane Society in the grocery store.