New Agency Guidelines and Requirements
Our agencies are comprised of area non-profits to include soup kitchens, food pantries, care centers and meal programs, across our 6 county service area in the Northern Neck and Upper Middle Peninsula of Virginia, and are held to food handling and safety regulations.
All prospective new partner agencies are required to attend a New Members' Orientation as one of the steps in the membership process. Orientations are held as needed. In addition to New Members' Orientation, all new agencies are required to have two representatives certified with Food Safety/ServSafe training. Organizations may seek this required certification on their own, through local resources or training that your Department of Health or Restaurant Association partners may know about. Healthy Harvest Food Bank offers this training quarterly, on a varied schedule.
Below you will find a list of requirements and steps to becoming a partner agency of Healthy Harvest Food Bank.
An organization is expected to meet the following prerequisites in-order-to apply for affiliation with Healthy Harvest Food Bank:
- Have a current 501(c)3 registration status with the IRS or be a Church as defined by the IRS.
- Be an organization whose purpose it is, or operate a program designed, to provide emergency food to those in need, or provides meals to a targeted population who would be at-risk otherwise. *
- Located in an area deemed by HHFB to be-in-need of additional emergency food providers. **
- The food service program should be currently operating for a 2-3 month period in order to show budgetary and distribution sustainability. Records of expenditures, families served, and amount of foods distributed should be maintained. Distribution sustainability is expected at a level of providing at least 3-5 days of meals per person served (approximately 20 pounds per individual).
- Be committed to use dry (shelf-stable), frozen and perishable foods regularly within its programs, and have on-site refrigeration and freezer storage capacity to accommodate a minimum of 25% of the program’s distribution.
- Have on-site computer and internet access for ease of communication and reporting and agree to place orders in a timely manner with HHFB.
- Agrees to be listed on Healthy Harvest Food Bank’s online search tool and willing to indicate affiliation with Healthy Harvest Food Bank on agency signage.
*Child Care or Senior Centers whose purpose it is to serve low-income families and targeted Rehabilitation Programs/Agencies are among those which could qualify. Group Homes and/or Schools that serve meals to residents/students as part of their focal program may not qualify.
**Will be based on such factors as the area’s Food Insecurity, and the strength and location of other Food Bank agencies and partners.
Once an organization meets the above criteria, applications steps are as follows:
- Complete the written Application, with ALL supporting documents as indicated.
- Have appropriate program representatives attend Agency Orientation.
- Have at least two appropriate individuals trained in Food Safety – for Pantries, basic Food Handling;
- for Meal Sites, ServSafe (8-hr. class) certification required.
- Work with appropriate Food Bank staff in scheduling and conducting a Site Visit in completion of the Site Inspection Checklist & Readiness.
- Understand and agree to all criteria of the Partner Agreement and have appropriate Agency representative to sign.
NOTE: a new agency will not be accepted until all the above are met/completed.
Thank you for your interest in an agency membership with Healthy Harvest Food Bank. Please contact Craig Hazzard at (804) 250-2277 or craig@hhfb.org to schedule a time to further discuss agency membership and begin the application and orientation process.