How to Become a Partner

Criteria for Foodbank Membership

The following are criteria for membership for the Central Virginia Foodbank's (CVFB) Donate Food Program. All of the points below must be met in order to qualify:

The Network Partner must be a tax exempt, non-profit, publicly supported organization as described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code and must provide the CVFB with it's 501(c)(3) letter of determination. Religious organizations may qualify without a 501(c)(3), if they meet a separate set of criteria, which is determined by the CVFB. (Church Qualifier)
The Feeding Program serves the poor, needy, ill, infants, elderly, homeless or those in crisis within their Zip Code and Locality.
The Feeding Program does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious beliefs, age, disabilities or sex.
The Feeding Program provides food FREE to its clients.
The Feeding Program does not sell, trade, barter, fund- raise or use for feedings where 75% of recipients cannot be determined to be below the poverty level (i.e., pastor/church anniversaries, ladies/men day, funerals) with products withdrawn from the CVFB. Selling, bartering and/or fundraising with donated products are Federal offenses. Our donors have procedures in place to spot-check for abuse of donated products distributed from their program(s).
The Feeding Program has been operating a regular feeding program for at least 60-90 days prior to applying for CVFB membership and has records on hand verifying previous activities. A budgeted amount for operating the feeding program is required.
The Network Partner agrees to submit records as required by the CVFB of the number of people served.
The Network Partner must maintains high standards of sanitation and food safety with regards to food storage, temperature, distribution and meal preparation.
The Feeding Program must maintain stated days and hours of operation and responds to appropriate emergency referrals in its service area unless exempted. Feeding sites are expected to coordinate with other CVFB Network Partners in their Zip Code, Locality and/or areas in their commuting pattern.
The Network Partner must notify the CVFB in writing on partner letterhead of any changes in hours, staff and services provided.
The Network Partner must withdraw/distribute food products from the CVFB's Warehouse on a continuous basis at least once a month.

If you believe that your Feeding Program meets the above criteria and does not already have a current membership application on file, please contact the CVFB's Member Services Department at 521-2500 or pick up an application at 1415 Rhoadmiller Street, Richmond, VA 23220 or download an application from our website's form section at www.cvfb.org.

Orientation

Orientation takes place on the last Monday of every month (except when a holiday falls on that day) from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at 1415 Rhoadmiller Street, Richmond, VA 23220. For questions, contact Sylvia Moore at 521-3282 or Julia Galloway at 521-5283. Click here for driving directions.

The person designated by an agency to withdraw food from the CVFB must attend orientation. Agency withdrawals of food from the CVFB warehouse will not be permitted until their designee has attended orientation. Orientation provides guidelines for withdrawing food, as well as shopping rules and regulations. The designee also receives a packet with the necessary forms and reporting requirements. This information can also be found in Applications and Forms.

Client Intake/Pantry Guidelines

Think of the guidelines as eligibility requirements to receive the food in your pantry. A pantry needs a set of written guidelines for its volunteers to go by so they may determine client eligibility for the pantry program. These guidelines should be written to assure that everyone who comes to your pantry in need is judged by the same standards. Your set of guidelines will have a lot to do with the realities and resources available at your pantry.

To come up with your own written guidelines, think about your pantry's priorities. You may want to consider the following:

CLIENT INTAKE/PANTRY GUIDELINES

Proof of client's residence (servicing with zip code/locality)
Proof of income (some pantries use USDA income guidelines)
Employed, unemployed, low-income
Number of people in family or household (will you require birth certificates for children?)
Recent separation from source of income (will require proof?)
Recent or chronic medical costs (will require proof?)
Food Stamps, SSI, Medicaid, TANF (case pending, payments lost, re-certification troubles - will you require documents?)
Number of times and how often a family will be served (does the family have transportation, and if not, will you deliver?)
Those in crisis who would not normally be served by a feeding program

One pantry's guidelines will more than likely differ from any others according to priorities and goals. For example, one pantry may prefer or because of CVFB programs they participate in will automatically serve Food Stamps, SSI, Medicaid and TANF families because they qualify for those programs and are low-income. Another pantry may prefer to serve people who do not qualify for participation in the above programs, but are low-income or the working poor and are in need.

Your guidelines are your own. When you decide on a set of guidelines, type them up and make them readily available should anyone be concerned about the fairness of distribution. All pantries should in the area of distribution for all clients to see or create flyers to be distributed.

The CVFB and our food donors are concerned that food goes to needy people and that all people are screened alike.

USDA/TEFAP Guidelines

Click Here to download USDA/TEFAP Instructions For Participating Agencies

Guidelines for distributing USDA food commodities:

USDA food is for distribution to individuals and families as emergency food.
USDA food is not to be prepared or served by the participating agency (or the EFO—Emergency Food Outlet).
USDA food must be stored in a dry storage area 6 inches off the floor in an area free of rodents and insects. Perishable foods must be handled and stored according to safe food handling practices. The storage area must be secured and foods separated from your other pantry items.
USDA food cases may be split up but cans and bags cannot be opened and divided. It must be distributed in the cans and bags it comes in.
Each household that receives USDA food must have a Self-Declaration of Income Form filled out and on file at the EFO. The applicant for the household must sign and date the bottom of the form on the day USDA commodities were received.

USDA food is free and no fee of any kind can be exchanged for or collected from those who receive it.
USDA food may not be distributed to any household more than once a month, preferably once every 30 days from one EFO.
The EFO distributing USDA food must turn in a Monthly USDA Distribution Report by the the 10th of each month. Original and completed Self-Declaration of Income forms from each eligible household is submitted with the Monthly USDA Distribution Report in March and September of the current Fiscal Year. New Self-Declaration Of Income Forms are filled out on each household in October and April of current Fiscal Year. The CVFB's Fiscal Year is from October-September.