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USDA, Feeding America, and MAFB are equal opportunity providers, employers, and lenders.
This book
contains
instructions,
information,
copies of all
forms, and
answers to
most of your
questions.
Please keep
this handy for
future
reference.
AGENCY HANDBOOK
Montgomery Area Food Bank
Updated 1/19
2
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your commitment to
providing food to the hungry. We are
excited that you are now a member
agency of Montgomery Area Food Bank
and a partner in our mission to reduce
hunger in Alabama. The purpose of this
manual is to orient new agencies, new
staff and/or volunteers of existing
member agencies to the policies and
responsibilities of membership with
Montgomery Area Food Bank.
By becoming a member of our
network, you are joining a successful
partnership dedicated to reducing hunger
in our community. Montgomery Area
Food Bank assists in the distribution of
approximately 19 million pounds of food
Sincerely,
Vicky Manley
Montgomery Area Food Bank
Montgomery, Alabama 36108
334-263-3784 Phone
PAGE SUBJECT
3 Rules Of the Game
4 Religious Proselytizing Policy
5 Policy Do’s & Don’ts
5 Who Can Shop?
5 When Can an Agency Use MAFB Food?
6 Orientation Information
7-9 How does an Agency Access Food?
9 Shared Handling Fee Information
10 Determining Eligibility
11 What is a Monitor?
11 Forms & Record Keeping
*****NOTE****
BE SURE TO PRINT ALL FORMS FROM OUR WEBSITE
http://www.montgomeryareafoodbank.org/
AgencyFormsandInformation.html
12-13 Emergency Pantry Eligibility Form
14 On-site Feeding Explanation
15 Menu Form For On-site Feeding
16-17 Mass Give-away Explanation & Form
19 USDA Inventory Requirements
20 USDA Monthly Inventory Form
21 Safe Food Handling Explanation
22 USDA Storage Temperature Requirements
23 Temperature Record Form
24 Inmate Rules
25 Enhance Your Agency’s Outreach
26 Volunteers
27 MAFB Staff Listing
28-29 USDA Civil Rights Complaint Procedure
30-33 USDA Civil Rights Complaint Form
34-36 Agency Referral Plea
37-38 Food Bank 101
39 How Does Food Get to the Hungry?
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MONTGOMERY AREA FOOD BANK 521 Trade Center Street
Montgomery, Alabama 38108 1-334-263-3784 1-800-768-3784
1-334-262-6854 FAX Website: www.montgomeryareafoodbank.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MontgomeryAreaFoodBankInc/
In order to insure that all of our agencies have a clear understanding of the requirements governing the usage of goods received from the Food Bank, we have outlined the following rules that must be followed in the distribution of any products, food items, or non-food items from the Food Bank.
1. Items must not be sold, swapped, or bartered to anyone under any circumstances. This includes sale in thrift stores, flea markets, bazaars or any events in which items would change hands for money or goods.
2. In order to remain active, each Agency MUST acquire 1,000 pounds and at least 2 shopping visits in an 18 month monitor period. 3. Items must not be given as payment or reward for any kind of services. This includes volunteers who help to
transport, sort, store, package or distribute goods.
4. Agencies must not require contributions from food recipients nor charge recipients a membership fee that is related to the distribution of items supplied by the food bank.
5. Agencies must not require food recipients to attend worship services, classes, etc. as a condition for receiving Food Bank food.
6. Food Bank goods are intended to be free and for people in need. Under normal circumstances, food cannot be used for children’s meals in any child-care, day care or school facility, which charges a fee. If your agency has special circumstances, please see an Agency Relations staff person to discuss it.
6. Agencies, regardless of method of how they receive the donated product (i.e. directly from the member, through
the store donation pick-up program, excess mobile pantry product, etc.) may only distribute donated products to
clients. Agencies may not distribute donated products to other food bank member agencies, non-food bank
member agencies, organizations or business entities. This is a directive from our National Food Bank Network,
Feeding America. By transferring product to other agencies, there is no clear path as to where and how the food
was distributed. You cannot track it. Please put this rule into force in your agency if it applies.
7. Food must not be used for consumption by any agency (church, charitable, or service organization) for social or
fund raising events or group meals that are not for the purpose of feeding those in need.
8. Agencies should be mindful of those who come to them for assistance and their right to privacy. It is more important to help the hungry than to try too hard to weed out the few who are trying to take advantage of their kindness. For more guidance on this, read page 9 of this booklet.
9. Any loss by theft, fire or other mishap must be reported to the Food Bank.
10. Failure to comply with these rules jeopardizes both the Food Bank system and our generous contributors. We will be forced to disassociate ourselves from those that do not abide by these established rules.
11. Obtaining food under false pretense or for fraudulent purpose is in violation of the criminal code of the State of Alabama.
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Montgomery Area Food Bank Religious Proselytizing Policy
Montgomery Area Food Bank’s mission is to end hunger, not to promote any religious or political affilia-tion. Since many of our partner agencies are churches, synagogues, and other religious entities, it would be unreasonable for the Food Bank to assume that these agencies will provide their hunger relief ser-vices without some degree of religious activity. However, proselytizing MUST NOT be discriminatory or onerous (burdensome or time-consuming) to the client. It is clearly stated in the Agency Letter of Agreement that the Food Bank’s food must be free to the client without any requirement of payment or action from the client. If an agency requires a cli-ent to participate in an event or a service, it is the same as requiring a client to pay for the food with the client’s time. Another issue with proselytizing is that clients coming to receive emergency food are in a vulnerable position and may feel pressured to participate. The Food Bank wants clients that are served by us and our agencies to feel safe and welcome, not pressured, when receiving their food. Therefore, Food Bank agencies may NOT require clients or recipients to participate in any religious ac-tivity before receiving food. All distribution of food boxes, congregate meals, snacks, etc. must be con-cluded before any religious service or activity commences. The client must be allowed to come and pick up their food box/sack or eat their meal and leave without participating in any service or activity. Food recipients must be able to leave with the food or eat the food and then leave before having to listen to a sermon or religious teaching. In other words, all clients must be free to leave the premises before any religious or political activity begins. Agencies distributing USDA TEFAP commodity food products must NOT have ANY degree of religious or political activity, including prayer, involved with food distribution. Religious/political activity and com-modity food distribution CANNOT occur as consecutive activities on the same day unless there is a mini-mum of one (1) hour separating these activities. It is strongly recommended that these activities not occur on the same day. Food recipients must not feel that participation in a political/religious activity is a requirement for receiving food, and must not feel as if they are being coerced or pressured into at-tending any religious or political activity prior to a food distribution, or staying for such an activity after the food distribution. ******************************************************************************
Alternately, this is a short version: Food Bank goods are intended to be free and for people in need. Agencies must not require food recipients to attend worship services, classes, etc. as a condition for
receiving Food Bank food.
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All agencies will be required to adhere to the following policies: DO: …...have a valid e-mail address that is checked daily. All agencies MUST give us an e-mail address. Information sharing and communication will be done electronically. …...provide direct service to the hungry, low income, or underserved population. ……distribute food to those in need, ill, children and seniors. …...serve all clients as respected colleagues or guests. ……distribute food to clients free of charge with absolutely no conditions levied, implied, or exchanged. …...refer clients to other agencies or other sources of assistance when they have a need you cannot meet. DO NOT: …...redistribute product to other non-profit entities or other Food Bank Agencies. …...sell or use product from the Food Bank in exchange for money, property, or services. …...ask for ANY reimbursement of any kind from those receiving food EVER. PERIOD! …...use product from the Food Bank for fundraising. …...solicit donations of any kind from your clients. ..….make it difficult or embarrassing for individuals who are seeking help. • Only those authorized in writing by your Agency Pastor or Director may shop and pickup orders.
• Each agency is allowed up to 6 authorized shoppers (except in unusual circumstances… and must be approved)
• Adding a person’s name to the shopper’s list must be done in writing by the Agency’s Director or Pastor. Forms available on-line.
• Orientation for authorized shoppers is the 2nd Friday of each month, 9:00-11:00 A.M. (No class in December). The class is free. You must call and sign up to attend the class.
• No children allowed at this meeting.
Food Bank Food MAY be used: When feeding a group of people where over 51% fit the poverty level criteria, it is ok to use Food Bank
food for the meal.
Special meals prepared by agencies for the hungry during the holidays also qualify. A meal prepared at this time and advertised as a charity meal to help those less fortunate would not normally be attended by people who don’t need the assistance.
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Montgomery Area Food
Bank Orientation
(second Friday each month except December)
Food Bank
101
You must attend an orientation session. Everyone who will be dealing with MAFB must attend an
orientation session given on the second Friday of each month from 9:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. at MAFB.
No session in December. If second Friday happens to be a holiday the class will be
the first Friday. You need only attend once. There is no charge to attend. You must call to sign up for an orientation class. No children are allowed please.
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OK, you have finished the approval process, and you are ready to go to the Food Bank for the 1st time. You went to Orientation, but you just can’t remember the exact process. Here are step-by-step instructions that will guide you through. Once you have shopped a few times, it will become very simple.
1. Make an appointment.
2. Place a pre-order if you need to.
3. Show up on time.
4. Shop for your food.
5. Take food back to your agency.
6. Feed the hungry! Of course, there is a little bit more to it than that. This book will take each step and expand on how to accomplish it with as little fuss as possible. If a question occurs to you that is not answered here, please do not hesitate to call Vicky or Anastasia at the food bank. We are here to serve! Let’s go into a little more detail with the steps above!
1. Make an Appointment
You MUST make an appointment to shop.
You may call MAFB any time between 7:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. Monday-Friday. Anyone who answers the phone can help you make an appointment. During holiday seasons such as 4th of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas the appointments fill up QUICK.
Plan as far ahead as you can, and make appointments well in advance. You have a much better chance to get what you need by shopping several times than you will if you wait till the last minute and try to get in one big shopping trip.
Regular appointments can be made at anytime. If you are going to place a pre-order, you must allow for a minimum of 3 business days between the time the order was placed, and the day of the appointment. This allows our warehouse staff adequate time to pull the order and have it ready for you.
.
If you have other programs in addition to being a part of the Senior Supplement Program, you will need to set a separate appointment to shop for Senior Supplement boxes.
Our appointment schedule is set up as follows:
Monday - Thursday: 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00 a.m. - 4 appointments per hour
1:00 p.m. - 10 appointments available NO SHOPPING ON FRIDAY
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2. Place a pre-order (if you need to)!
A pre-order is not required in order to shop. It is, however, the best way to take advantage of all the products available at the food bank. The products that are available for pre-order can be viewed on our web-site at any time, and are up-dated regularly. We can fax the list to you upon request.
PLEASE NOTE:
*ALL FOOD AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER ARE IN CASE LOTS ONLY* *WE CANNOT PULL OR SAVE PERISHABLE ITEMS (FROZEN OR COOLER ITEMS)*
Pre-orders can be: Faxed in - 334-262-6854 OR
Sent as an attachment in an e-mail to: [email protected]
Placing a pre-order gives you a well rounded order because you will have selection of all things that we have to offer (to include the Market Spot, freezer, & cooler items when you come to shop). If you do not have time or do not wish to place an order you can call and make an appointment to shop the “Market Spot, Cooler & Freezer” only. This option is great for a quick visit to pickup for a special event or an emergency situation.
3. Show up for your appointment
DON’T FORGET TO TAKE A NUMBER!
Only 2 shoppers per agency allowed in the Market Spot.
***************IMPORTANT INFORMATION:****************
You required to notify us if you cannot make your appointment, please be aware of the following:
If you do not notify us within of a cancellation within one business day – and do not show up for your appointment, your agency will be charged $25.00. You will not be allowed to shop until that $25.00 is paid in full. We often have waiting lists – ESPECIALLY during the holidays – for agencies who need to
shop. Please be considerate of other agencies and MAFB.
BE ON TIME! If you are going to miss your appointment or be late, please notify us.
If you are going to be more than 15 minutes late, you must re-schedule. The Market Spot system is well tuned, and it depends on everyone doing their part to keep things moving along. When you get to the Food Bank, go in the entrance that you went through during orientation, the
“Samuel L. Schloss Agency Service Center”.
1. Order freezer items. 2. Shop the “dry” area. 3. Proceed to the cooler. When you are finished shopping in the cooler it is time for weigh in.
PLEASE NOTE: After visiting the cooler there is no more shopping. 5. Once all items are weighed and recorded, return to Jo Ann to check out. 6. Payment is due at this time.
Agency checks are preferred. Money orders are accepted WITH CONDITIONS. We cannot accept cash. We cannot accept debit or credit cards. If it is difficult for your agency to get a signed check, ask Jo Ann about setting up a charge account.
When you have your number, take a seat, wait for Jo Ann to call your number. Once she has your paperwork in order, she will give you what you need, and you can go on into the Market Spot. Give your paperwork to the Customer Service Desk (Javis). Make sure you get everything you need from the “dry” area and from the cooler while you are there. Once you leave, there is no returning! This allows our guys the time to re-stock the shelves for the next batch of appointments, giving those agencies equal access to what is available at that time.
Follow this sequence when shopping:
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Now, it is time to load your vehicle. Be sure to check off the products on your invoice as they are being loaded. Once everything is loaded sign the invoice. By putting your name on the invoice you are stating that you received EVERYTHING you were supposed to have.
*******Do NOT sign until you have checked to make sure your order is complete. *******
4. Off you go to transport the food to your agency!
Once you have arrived at the location where you store your food, you will need another signature on your invoice. This signature can be anyone’s except yours. This is very important because it confirms that the food was delivered to the agency location. (Later, when we do a monitor on your agency, these 2nd signatures are one of the things we check for.)
5. Fulfill your mission
Make sure you have all your forms ready to go, and that everyone participating understands exactly what their responsibilities are. Be clear about the importance of treating everyone with respect. This mission, feeding the hungry, is not one to be approached lightly. You play an important role in our mutual desire to end hunger. As an agency, you are the hope that our mission can be fulfilled.
SHARED HANDLING FEE
In accordance with Feeding America guidelines, our Partner Agencies contribute a Shared Handling FEE (SHF) based on the product they receive from us. SHF is a
handling fee contributed to MAFB by our agencies to help pay the expenses of the services we provide. The amount contributed by each agency is based on the type
and amount of the product received - but it is not payment for the product itself.
The costs our agencies share are associated with soliciting, procuring, transporting, loading
and unloading, storing, maintaining the integrity of, and distributing the product to our agencies - our operating costs.
The MAFB must also maintain our facility, pay rent for additional needed warehouse space,
staff and equipment for the food bank, and pay considerable utility costs required to operate large freezers and coolers. SHF also helps to defray a portion of these costs.
So, when you communicate to others about how you share the cost of our partnership in reaching out to those in need, we ask that you not explain it by saying that you “pay
for” or “buy” the food from the MAFB as this distorts the true reason for the SHF.
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Explanation of the Eligibility Criteria Form (The 5 Tools to Help in Determining the Eligibility of Your Clients)
Here are 5 tools for you to use in determining if the person seeking help is eligible to receive food and why.
The form is a self-declaration statement to be signed by the client. The signature is all you need as affirmation that what your client has stated is true. Check stubs, bills, bank statements and all related materials are not necessary and are not required to be collected, viewed, or copied at client intake.
Although intake of a new client presents an opportunity to get to know more about their situation, we are not judges or investigators.
If a person says they need help, fills out the eligibility criteria form and signs it - that is all the information that the agency is required to gather…. Period.
1. They are eligible to receive food stamps (SNAP).
2. They are eligible for aid to families with dependent children.
3. They are eligible for supplemental security income (SSI).
4. Income at or below the poverty level as indicated in the income chart. We use 130% of the poverty level. The chart is issued by USDA once a year. Be sure you are using the correct chart. They are dated and sent to you when they change.
5. Special circumstances. Explanation: Briefly, examples are fire, flood, injury, loss of job, extreme or ongoing medical needs, etc.
*Special note for the 5th and last criteria: *
This is a client’s “safety net”. Sometimes, people in “special circumstances” need help and may not fit into our guidelines for eligibility. Do we turn them away? NO! They may be experiencing problems at the time that are not typical. Examples given are just some of the instances when our help is really needed due to unforeseen misfortune. We need to help these people to the best of our ability, the same as anyone who does not have an adequate income.
**Always remember… Your mission is to HELP people – not to find ways for NOT helping them.**
*When do you ask for documentation? If you suspect that the client is abusing the system, getting food when they really do not need the assistance; going from agency to agency; selling the food they receive, etc., then you can refer to the clause in the Eligibility Form: “Program officials may verify what I have certified to be true.” THEN, you can ask for proof to qualify them. This is the exception – not the norm.
Last, but far from least: all agency programs must be handled by compassionate, kind, empathetic, and sympathetic people who want to help others. There is no room for helpers who are condescending or who embarrass potential clients. It is very hard to ask for help. Remember the Golden Rule at all times and practice it every day with every client.
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A monitor is an on-site visit to your agency by an MAFB representative. We perform a monitor on each agency every 18 months.
We will check:
Your storage area (s) -
• The food must be off of the floor, and stored in cabinets, on shelves, tables, or pallets. • Area must be clean, dry, rodent and insect free. • Cleaning supplies and toxic substances may NOT be stored with the food. • Food storage area must be secure. • Food NOT from the food bank must be kept separate from Food Bank Food.
The Monitor is the perfect time for you to discuss any problems, questions or concerns that you have. Monitors give us the opportunity to get to know our agencies on a more personal level and to see what they have been doing first hand.
The next pages are forms, along with instructions for filling them in properly.
Also, forms MUST include this non-discrimination statement: NOTE: In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, creed, national origin, class origin, nationality, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, or any other characteristic protected by law, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs) Feeding America, and MAFB. Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected].
• The copies in this book are simply a sample. To make good, clean copies of these forms as you need to go to the MAFB web site, and print them:
http://www.montgomeryareafoodbank.org/AgencyFormsandInformation.html • Keep the originals for future copies.
1. Invoices 4. USDA Inventory Records
2. Client Eligibility Forms 5. Menus
3. Temperature Records 6. All Storage Areas
7. Programs Update
Obtain a scale to weigh the number of pounds issued to each recipient. A simple bathroom scale will do just fine.
1. Fill out an Eligibility Criteria Form that documents:
2. Categorize their eligibility. If the household falls at or below the level in the chart corresponding to the number in the household, they are eligible to receive Food Bank Food. There are also other criteria, as well as your own judgment, that can be used to make sure those who ask for help receive it. Often temporary hardship can make it clear that they need assistance. The client’s signature below the “Self Declaration Clause” on the form releases the agency from any responsibility.
3. The Eligibility Criteria form needs to be filled out completely. A new form for each household needs to be filled out each July. If/when they return during that time-frame, you need only fill in the date, the total pounds given, and get them to sign on the “Listing” sheet.
• Name • Address • Telephone number
• Number in family • Number of pounds issued • Their signature each time they receive.
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The on-site feeding forms can be used by agencies that care for individuals who are in a permanent residential home , or for those who are only there during the day,
and return home in the evening. The same form is used for either program.
On-site feeding programs are not required to obtain individual information on the people who eat there. Generally, able-bodied, working individuals who do not qualify for food assistance don’t stand in line to get food from a soup kitchen.
Seniors who qualify for Meals on Wheels automatically qualify. On site-feeding programs need to keep records of the following:
• Date food is served • What food was prepared • Number of People Served at each meal • Which of the foods consumed came from the food bank
TIPS The proven method for providing this information is through menus. A record of food served daily that includes the above information is easy to keep. Make at least enough copies of the menu form for a month, punch holes in it,
and store in a loose leaf notebook or in a file. Keep the notebook or file in the kitchen, or somewhere handy to the food
preparation area. Make entries after each meal. If you wait till later, you will forget what was
served. Once a week have a “back-up” checker make sure the records have been kept
up to date.
The next two forms are to be used for on-site feeding and for mass give-away events.
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MASS GIVE AWAY FORM
There are some situations where large groups of people would make it difficult to have eligibility forms filled out. For these occasions we
offer the
“Mass Give Away Form”
Use this form ONLY during these circumstances:
One-time distributions.
Mass Give-Away
When all items are the same or weigh the same.
Off-site distribution of product.
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The following form is to be used for USDA inventory ONLY!
How to fill out the USDA Physical Inventory Sheet —
TIP - After each shopping visit check your invoice for USDA items. Check the “Source” column
of your invoice and write down ALL USDA products on this sheet.
The name of the product, such as corn or ground beef.
How many cases are you starting the month with?
How many more cases did you get from the Food Bank this month?
Add Columns 2 and 3 together. In other words, how many cases do you have altogether after shopping?
How many cases did you distribute?
How many do you have left at the end of the month? *When you start next month’s inventory sheet, transfer this to Column 2. It is what you have left at the end of the month, so it will always be the number you start next month out with.*
USDA Inventory needs to be done once per month. When you store your food, it will help if you keep your USDA products together in the same area. USDA Product comes in case-lots only, so if you arrange the cases on the shelf in a way that makes it easy to see how many you have, inventory will be a breeze. Remember, you count FULL cases ONLY. Once a case has been opened, and even a single item removed, it is no longer counted into your inventory. Make sure you keep these records. We will be checking them when we come for a monitor.
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During Orientation you will be given information on safe food
handling to carry back to your agency. Make sure everyone who
participates in your food ministry has a chance to read and
understand it. You are free to make copies and give it out as you
need to.
The temperature record is what you should be using to record
the temperature in the different storage areas you use,
including:
Dry storage area
Refrigerator
Freezer
This Record MUST be kept. We are required by Feeding
America and it is for Food Safety purposes.
We will check this form at each monitor.
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Temperatures MUST be checked regularly. We ask that each day
when someone is present they take a few moments to document the
temperatures. The Temperature Log can be posted nearby for easy
access.
Ø Frozen foods should be kept at a temperature of 0° or below.
Ø Refrigerated foods should be kept at a temperature range of 35 to 42°.
Ø Dry storage areas should be kept at a temperature range of 45-70°F.
o Temperature should be measured by thermometers in all three of these areas and properly maintained.
Tips
an agency cannot control dry storage temperatures, especially in the warm months of the year, then care should be taken NOT to store perishable foods during these times. Once procured, they should be distributed quickly.
o Canned food will fare better and not be affected much by moderately warm temperatures, but grains will be greatly and negatively affected by periods of exposure to temperatures greater than 70°.
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Our programs are diversified in the structure, but each one gets the food directly to those in need at no
cost to them and with no strings attached.
1. Our largest distribution program is the Emergency On-Site Food Pantry. A partner agency such as a church or other non-profit 501(C)(3) provides accommodations within their establishment to store and distribute the food they receive from us to those needy individuals and families who come to them for assistance.
2. Our second program is the Senior Supplement Program. For $50 a year (we have grant money and donations that match your $50 and gives each senior $100 per year), an elderly citizen receives a box each month, weighing 25-35 pounds. Your agency will be responsible for shopping, preparing, and distributing the boxes to they seniors.
3. The third program we offer is our Mobile Pantry Program. A mobile pantry is designed to distribute a truckload of nutritious product directly to the disadvantaged residents in a neighborhood chosen by the sponsoring agency. One Mobile Pantry will generously assist roughly 150 families with 75-100 pounds of product each. Our Mobile Pantries are becoming a primary means of expanding our outreach into rural and historically “underserved” areas.
4. We provide food for Meals-on-Wheels Programs. Partner agencies prepare hot meals and, through the efforts of volunteers, deliver those meals to needy, homebound, elderly, and disabled people.
5. We provide food for On-site Feeding Programs. Partner agencies prepare meals, including holiday meals, at their establishments for the homeless and greatly disadvantaged.
Program Name Contact Info
On-Site Food Pantry
Emergency On-Site Pantry
Meals On Wheels
Vicky Manley [email protected]
Senior Supplement & Mobile Pantry
Brooke Sanders [email protected]
You may contact any one of the individuals above at MAFB: 334-263-3784
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On a final note, we want to welcome you to the Montgomery Area Food Bank, Our mission would never be accomplished without you. On behalf of the Board of Directors and the staff, we are glad to
have you on-board. This is YOUR food bank. We want to give you the best service possible to help you as you provide food for the hungry. If ever you are unhappy with our service, please feel free to let us
know. We cannot make things right if we do not know that they are wrong.
Make sure any guidelines you adopt apply equally to EVERYONE.
Treat your clients with dignity and kindness. DO not judge them, and do not discriminate. When you give them food, give it unconditionally.
Your volunteers and those who work in your agency are your greatest assets. The agency could not function without them. We encourage you to find each individual’s strengths, and place them into a job that uses those strengths. Some may be best at organizing the food and storage area, some may be good cooks, and some may be at their best when they are in direct contact with those who come to you for help.
It is of utmost importance that those who work directly with food recipients are kind, compassionate, empathetic./sympathetic, and do not feel the need to judge. Our responsibility is to feed the hungry, and to do so with as much love as possible.
The food bank has many who call and ask to volunteer their time to us, especially during Christmas and Thanksgiving. If you are planning an event that requires more volunteers than you have on hand, please contact the food bank. We may be able to help you round some up!
The contact person for this program is:
Teressa Millwood, 334-263-3784,
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Rich Deem – Chief Executive Officer
David Fata – Chief Operations Officer
Denezia Stringer- Staff Accountant
Jolene Kearns – Executive Admin. Asst. to CEO
Cheri O’Dell – Director of Partner Services
Caroline Gray- Administrative Support Assistant (Part Time)
Vicky Manley – Agency Relations Coordinator
Jo Ann Russell – Agency Services Coordinator
Al Bloom – Public Affairs Supervisor
Teressa Vigneault-Millwood – Fund/Food Drives & Volunteer Coordinator
Brooke Sanders – Agency Services Supervisor
Yumicka Smith – Direct Mail Coordinator
Melissa Bailey - Development/Grant Writer (Part Time)
Ann Fuller – Programs Coordinator
Carey Welch – Warehouse Manager
John Foster– Assistant Warehouse Manager
Javis Wilson- Warehouse Customer Service Supervisor
Robert Aaron-Customer Service Assistant
Tom Carmony – Receiving/Inventory Supervisor
Cedric Jackson – Driver/Warehouse Asst.
Kelvin Stovall – Freezer Coordinator
Felix Snell – Salvage Coordinator
Tony Haigler – Warehouse Quality Assurance Supervisor
Willie McQueen – Cooler Coordinator
Eddie Greene – Inventory Management Control Coordinator
Robert “Bob” Lohman – Driver/Warehouse Asst.
Albert Jennings –Driver/Warehouse Asst.
Terrence Beemon– Driver/Warehouse Asst.
Edward Patterson – Driver/Warehouse Asst.
Christian Denard –Warehouse Janitor
Updated: December 12, 2018
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It isn’t news to anyone that times are tough. With that being said, we are asking more agencies
to join our list of referral agencies for both Food Pantries and On-Site-Feeding Programs. Even
those of you who only cook a meal at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
When someone calls MAFB looking for food assistance, we ask them for their zip code, and try
to refer them to someone who is not too far away. After all, if money is tight for food, it is
certainly tight for gas. Unfortunately, we do not have agencies in every zip code, OR the
agencies in that zip code are not part of our referral service. When that happens, we are forced
to expand our referrals to agencies who are further away.
Unfortunately, it also means that we are wearing out those agencies who are on our list.
If your agency is not on the referral list, we need for you to SERIOUSLY consider pitching in and
helping out. Connecting hungry people and families with an agency that can feed them is one of
the most important things we do on a daily basis. We get calls from people who are lonely, and
are just looking for a place to go and eat a meal with others. Others are struggling with the
added stress that comes with the making ends meet stretch their limited dollars.
Keep in mind, just like with any big job—the more hands we have sharing the work, the lighter
the load for everyone involved...but most important, the better we serve the people out there
who need us.
The other thing we need to ask of every single agency, regardless of whether you are on this list
or not, whether you are an agency that has been with us since the beginning or are new, if you
have changed your programs—added something or stopped something—unless you tell us we
CANNOT know. If you are a referral agency, and stop feeding or distributing food, and we refer
someone to you—it is not a good thing when that person cannot get you or is turned away due
to our lack of knowledge. Please complete this form and return it to us. We need to be
CLEAR about your current programs.
SO PLEASE—COMMUNICATE WITH US. We want MAFB to be the best we can be, but we cannot
achieve that goal without the cooperation of YOU, our agencies.
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Recently one of our individual donors asked that she be removed from our mailing list. Written on the envelope
she sent back to us were the words:
“I will be giving to the (name with-held) Food Pantry, since they have to buy the food from you. Please remove my
name from your list.”
When I was shown the note, it made me sad. When we say that every donation, large or small is important to us,
we truly mean it. We know that any success is the result of loyal supporters who have stayed with us through thick and
thin. This misunderstanding made me realize that the time had come to be pro-active. It is very important to us that our
donors KNOW we are good stewards with everything that has been entrusted to us. Clarifying how the food bank
operates seemed like a good place to start.
Where does our food come from?
Where does our funding come from?
Why do we need funding?
Do agencies really “buy” the food from MAFB?
How Does the food get to the hungry?
While it is true that MAFB is a large operation, and that the inner workings are very complicated, the very basic system
of operation is quite simple. And, though we see what we do as a mission, the food bank MUST be run like a business.
The main difference being, our primary concern is not with making a profit.
Store Donation
National Donors
Food Drives
Purchased Products
Other Food Banks
USDA
Other
Store Donation
National Donors
Food Drives
Purchased Products
Other Food Banks
USDA
Other
The MOST COMMON misconception we run across is that all of the food we distribute is donated to us. In reality, our
food comes from many sources (see graph below). While it is true that the generosity of individual people is extremely
important, it would be impossible for their donations alone to provide enough food. Though it does not account for a
large portion of the product we distribute, we even have to purchase food. This purchased product has a direct impact
on the nutritional quality of the food we distribute.
43.47%
14.17%
1.83%
4.23%
4.09%
28.59%
3.62%
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Our financial support comes from a variety of resources…personal donations, grants, fund raising (our
direct mail campaign) being some our largest contributors. However, as you can see from the next graph,
our largest source of income by far, comes from the Shared Maintenance Fee, or SMF. The SMF is the origin
of the misunderstanding mentioned earlier. That misunderstanding resulted in that donor asking to be
removed from our mailing list. When we lose even an individual donor, we lose more than just financial
support. Financial donations are accompanied by encouragement and motivation. We know that even
$1.00 comes from someone who believes in our mission.
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SMF
General Public/Grants
Fund raising (Direct Mail)
USDA/FEMA
CFC/SCC*
Equipment donations
Other
44.00%
22.00%
20.00%
7.00%
3.20%
2.00%
1.80%
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2
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Partner agencies of food banks across the nation who are part of the Feeding America network
contribute a Shared Maintenance Fee (SMF). The SMF helps pay for a portion of the expenses that are
a result of the services we provide. The amount contributed is based on the type and amount of the
product received, but is not payment for the product itself. The costs we are asking our agencies to
share are associated with soliciting, procuring, transporting, loading and unloading, storing,
maintaining the integrity of and distributing the product to our agencies. We also maintain our
facility, pay our staff and equip the food bank, and pay the considerable utility costs. (The electric bill
alone would bring you to your knees!) The SMF helps to defray a portion of these costs.
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Our primary purpose, as a food bank, is to put food on the tables of those in our service area that are hungry. Sounds simple enough, right? While feeding a few people on your block can get complicated…. consider what is required to feed 35 counties representing over ½ the State of Alabama? Though those of us who work at MAFB see what we do as a mission. The size of the operation requires that it is run as a business. However keep in mind, we are a NON-PROFIT!
So, other than purchasing food, why do we even need funding? There is an expression that reveals a great truth: “Free Food Isn’t Free”. While our food is ALWAYS completely free to the hungry, in reality, NOTHING is free. No matter how small (or large) the cost, somewhere down the line, someone has to pay. If one can of soup is donated by an individual donor, they had to buy the soup somewhere. If the food came from a store, the store had to buy the food. If the food came from the USDA, they too paid for the food.
So why should agencies and churches even bother with getting food from a food bank? After all, they do pay the SMF so they are still having to spend money! Well………...
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLE:
You are part of a church or a non-profit organization that has been distributing food in a poverty stricken area. Your programs include an emergency food pantry, a monthly food distribution, and you cook a meal for the homeless one day per week. Your church has budgeted $250/month for this mission. By going to local whole-sale outlets, and at a cost of approximately $1.66/pound, you are able to purchase approximately 150 pounds of food…or enough provide 150 meals. One of your members hears about MAFB, and after looking into the opportunity, you decide to partner with the food bank. Even at your maximum cost of 18 cents/lb., the number of meals you are now able to provide has grown from 150 to a minimum of 1,388. You are able to increase your food distributions to twice per month (and provide more food for more families at each distribution). You are also able to increase the meals for the homeless to twice per week. This is approximately 9 times the amount of food you have been distributing, or 9 times the number of people assisted.
What it all boils down to is this: without the SMF, the MAFB would be much more limited in what we provide. Without the MAFB, r agencies would be much less effective and many more people would remain hungry. Our partnership is essential for both of us, but most assuredly, essential for the hungry people we serve.
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LOCAL DONATIONS NATIONAL DONATIONS
USDA OTHER FOOD BANKS
MONTGOMERY AREA
FOOD BANK
PARTNER DISTRIBUTION
ORGANIZATIONS
PARTNER
AGENCIES
CLIENTS
PARTNER
AGENCIES
CLIENTS
Through our PDOs and partner agencies, MAFB
distributed 22 million pounds of food for FY 2015. By
being able to get their food from MAFB, instead of relying
on purchased food, our partner agencies throughout
those 35 counties realized savings right at $37,400,000.
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USDA, Feeding America, and MAFB are equal opportunity providers, employers, and lenders.
