Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba 35:482

Yahya ibn Adam narrated to us, from Hammad ibn Salamah, from Qatadah, from Anas, that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, found a date and said: "Were it not that you might be from the charity, I would have eaten you." And he mentioned that Abu Hanifah said: "Charity is permissible for the freed slaves (mawali) of Banu Hashim and others."