Become a Partnering Recipient Agency with Feeding It Forward
Thank you for fighting hunger in our community!
How To Receive Food
Receiving surplus food is easy with ChowMatch, our web tool and mobile app. ChowMatch matches food donations directly with food assistance organizations and then alerts volunteer food runners who pick up and deliver the food.
By partnering with us you can select the type and quantity of food, along with the times you can receive the food according to your schedule. To start receiving excess nutritional, edible food, please click here to sign up with the ChowMatch application.
Follow the easy steps below to get started with our food matching app, as a a non-profit or service organization fighting hunger in our community.
Sign up in ChowMatch & Create a Profile
Click on the link to ChowMatch application, enter your email and create a password to sign up
Create your organizational profile by completing this information:
- Federal Tax ID (or EIN) number into your profile (required)
- Primary contact to receive emails about CFR food runs. You may add others (follow signup directions) or change the main contact within your account at any time
- Days and hours your organization can receive and unload food (NOTE: volunteer food runners may or may not be physically able to help you unload)
- Number of people your organization serves in a year.
- Types of foods you typically receive as donations from these categories (checklist)
- Amount of food your organization can accept in a food run (e.g. # of trays, boxes, lbs.)
- TIP: Food units are approximately: tray= 15 lbs.. and box=40 lbs. (about the size of a banana box)
- Special instructions so that a volunteer can find your location, parking, front door, etc.
Tip: Once you have created a profile, download the ChowMatch mobile app for Android or iPhone to receive food runs from your smart phone.
Important Information for Recipient Organizations
- If your staff or volunteers can transport food donations, they can also sign up as volunteer food runners. You will be notified when a food donation is matched to your organization and then if a volunteer doesn’t accept the run to transport it to you, a member of your staff, or your volunteer can claim the run and transport it.
- IMPORTANT! If at any time your organization can not accept donated food, you must change your profile status to “inactive”, otherwise, you may receive food that you cannot use. In ChowMatch app, Go to Recipient>my recipient account>status> select from drop down menu.
- Your organization’s established relationships with food donors will be honored when the donor selects your organization as a food recipient. Check with all your established donors to make sure that they select your organization at the time they schedule a food donation. Encourage your donors to join Feeding It Forward and sign up to use ChowMatch if they haven’t already!
Receive Food Donations
- Once you complete your organization’s profile your account will be activated. Your designated contact person will receive an email when food donation matches are made and food runs are scheduled. You can also login to your account at any time to check on scheduled food runs. Go to Recipient>my food runs
- Matches are based on the information in your profile including: types of food, amount of food, timing, and location. When a donor posts a food donation, a match is made with your organization, and a volunteer accepts the run, the food run will be scheduled automatically during your designated hours. You can update any profile changes online anytime.
- Volunteer food runners will ask you to sign the Food Safety Tracking Form upon receipt of the food. Retain a copy of these forms in your files to satisfy county health regulations in case there is ever an issue with food safety.
What to Do after a Food Run
In your online account, go to Recipient>my food runs> select the specific run
- Click on the checkmark icon. Electronically sign that the food has been handled according to Feeding It Forward safe food handling practices.
- Click on the star icon. Rate your food run experience. Your feedback will improve the food run experience for everyone and helps Feeding It Forward improve the system overall.
- Click on the pencil icon. Update the amount of food that was actually received if it differs from the amount the donor posted. This information is used to accurately report the total amount of food that is being donated.
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Tip: If you receive a regular weekly food run, you only need to sign and rate your first run. You will need to update the amount of food donated if it differs from the estimated amount you initially entered.
Food Safety for Food Recipients
Safely Receiving Donated Food
All Feeding It Forward participants must follow county approved Food Safety Guidelines for safe handling, transportation and distribution of recovered food.
When donated food products are delivered to your agency, it is the responsibility of the receiving agency to ensure inspection of every food delivery for general cleanliness, condition of containers, and signs of temperature abuse.
Some of the food that will be recovered and delivered to food recipients will be past the date on the package. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, if foods are not open and are properly stored, it is safe to eat food after the “best by”, “sell-by” or “use-by” date.
Receiving prepared foods
- Use a sanitized thermometer to take and record the temperature before storing food in a proper temperature-controlled space or before preparing for immediate consumption.
- Record the weight and types of food brought to the agency and report that data to Feeding It Forward.
Receiving canned foods
Watch for:
- Severe dents on the top or bottom rim, or on side seam.
- Swollen or bulging cans. Do NOT open bulging cans!
- Rusted cans with pitted surfaces.
- Boxes with live or dead insects, webs, or droppings.
Receiving boxed or dry goods
Watch for:
- Box with inside bag:
- Bag is torn or leaking
- Bag has moldy or foreign objects inside
- Box has live or dead insects, webs, or droppings
- Seals are ripped
- Box without inside bag:
- Box is open or torn.
- Box has live or dead insects, webs, or droppings.
- Box is stained or wet