How to stock food banks for almost $0 with your (probably) unused monthly credit card benefits

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You probably don't need us to tell you that many Americans are currently without their normal financial safety net, resulting in an enormous need to stock their pantries at the moment.

Food pantries can be lifelines for those in need, and maintaining a steady flow of donations and food into the food banks is crucial for providing assistance. Cash donations are typically the most effective way to help food banks, as the banks' purchasing power is much greater than that of individuals.

But if you want to help beyond just donating cash, there is a way to do so at no additional cost: by maximizing credit card benefits that you probably aren't using anyway.

Many popular Chase credit cards, such as the World of Hyatt Credit Card (see rates and fees) and the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card (see rates and fees), offer $10 to $20 in monthly Instacart credits in addition to a certain number of months of a free Instacart trial membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2027). A $10 or $20 credit doesn't usually offset a significant portion of a traditional grocery order, so anecdotally, cardholders who don't frequently use the Instacart program often forget to take advantage of these credits.

However, Instacart has what it calls "Community Carts," which it operates in partnership with Feeding America. Through this program, you can place Instacart orders for delivery to food banks across the country.

Each food bank has its own page that lists its most requested items, making shopping relatively easy. Many of these items cost between $1 and $3, so you can order several items using your $10 or $20 Instacart credit. (Or, you can just get one pricier, highly requested item, like a big jar of peanut butter.)

There is a $10 minimum order for Community Carts, and no delivery or service fees apply. So, if you place an order that is approximately the same as your $10 or $20 monthly credit, then your only expenses will be any overage amount plus a tip.

Instacart defaults to a $2 tip on these deliveries (which I think are often batched together since delivery isn't immediate).

You can register multiple eligible Chase cards with Instacart to place a few $10 or $20 orders — one on each eligible card. You'll know it worked when you see the $10 or $20 subtracted from the order screen, as shown above.

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How to link your Chase cards to Instacart

To score this grocery delivery benefit, all you need to do is sign up for Instacart and enroll using your eligible Chase cobranded card (through Dec. 31, 2027). Eligible cards include those affiliated with Marriott, Hyatt, Southwest Airlines and IHG.

Below are the Chase cards that offer a $10 monthly statement credit for Instacart purchases:

• Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card
• Aeroplan® Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• British Airways Visa Signature® Card (see rates and fees)
• Disney® Premier Visa® Card (see rates and fees)
• Disney® Visa® Card (see rates and fees)
• Iberia Visa Signature® Card
• IHG One Rewards Premier Business Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful® Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• World of Hyatt Business Credit Card (see rates and fees)
• World of Hyatt Credit Card

The information for the Aer Lingus Visa Signature, the Iberia Visa Signature, the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful and the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Cards that offer a $20 monthly Instacart credit include the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (see rates and fees) and the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card. These also offer a free three-month Instacart+ membership (when you activate by Dec. 31, 2027). You can use your Ink card to sign up for Instacart here.

Bottom line

Using your monthly Instacart credit is a simple way to support those who need it right now. While $10 or $20 worth of groceries may not seem like a lot, know that every little bit makes a difference.