Don't Throw Away Your Chance To Help.

As a potential food donor, we want you to have an understanding of how our innovative prepared food rescue program works. This entire program was designed around one primary purpose, to run a food recovery program that ensures safety to everyone involved: the donor, Hoosier Hills Food Bank, and ultimately the low-income family. The end result is a program that has helped provide almost 5,000 pounds each month of healthy nutritious food to those who need help the most.

Please take time to review the information below. This is an exciting opportunity for you and your company to make a big difference in this community. We will be happy to answer any and all questions you may have. Together we can make a difference in the lives of hungry people.

For more information, call Hoosier Hills Food Bank 334-8374

Prepared Food Donation Guidelines

For food safety reasons, we are primarily looking for food we can repackage into smaller portions and freeze.  These repacked items are then given to families who will reheat and serve your donation at home. Please keep this in mind when you are selecting your food donation.

 Is there enough?

If there is enough for one family, then there is enough to donate.

You can help by following these steps:

Please put food donations into the containers we provide;

or if it is more convenient, keep the donation in your cooler and our driver will put it in our container.

Donations need to have a label on the lid listing what type of food it is and the date it was  prepared.

**FOOD SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN 2 DAYS OLD** UNLESS IT IS FROZEN.

WE CANNOT ACCEPT:

·  Leftover table foods.

·  Perishable foods in the danger zone for more than 2 hours.

·  Foods that have been prepared or stored in a private home.

·  Items that have been served more than once.

 The Prepared Food Donation Process

 At Your Kitchen:

·  We will supply donors with sanitized, airtight containers for food surplus storage. These containers come in sealed bags so they can be kept clean until they are needed.

·  When closing down, simply place your food surplus in these containers. For food safety identify, we ask that you fill out container labels provided. These labels identify the food item and the date prepared.

·  We will come to pick up your food at a scheduled time, collect the sealed containers, and leave clean sanitized containers for subsequent food donations.

If it sounds simple, that's because Meal Share is designed to be that way. We want to make donating an efficient and effortless part of your daily food operation.

What we do with your food donation:

·  We transport your donation in a refrigerated truck to our facility.

·  Three times a week we repackage your donation into family or individual sized portions. To ensure food safety, we use bags with reheating instructions printed on them.

·  The repackaged portions are then labeled, dated, and flash frozen.

·  These meals are then available for those in need. Charitable agencies that give food assistance in our six county area will distribute this frozen food at no cost to grateful clients.

·  Any agency that wishes to take Meal Share food must first be monitored. They must have adequate freezer space, check freezer temperatures regularly, and be trained in how to handle Meal Share to ensure food safety.

Legal Protection for Food Donors

This is an exciting opportunity for you and your company to make a big difference in your community. I will be happy to answer any and all questions you may have (Stephanie Solomon at 334-8374 or volunteer@hhfoodbank.org). Together we can make a difference in the lives of hungry people.

Hoosier Hills Food Bank, Inc. is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit organization and was incorporated in 1982. We can be reached at (812) 334-8374 or hhfb@hhfoodbank.org.