How to Shop at the Food Bank

 

General Rules

1. You can visit the Food Bank up to 2 times in a calendar month depending on your eligibility.
2. Our services are for emergency use only. Please take only what you need and will use.
3. All items come from community donations. We are not a supermarket. 
4. We do not receive any government funding. Our ability to help depends on what we have in stock.

 

The Surplus Table📦

• The surplus table holds extra items that are not part of the shopping. A sign will show how many you can take.

• No appointment is needed for surplus items.

• You can visit the surplus table once per day.

• At the end of the day, we place surplus bread outside after closing.

• If you are shopping, please shop surplus after your shopping is finished and your items are weighed. We don’t weigh items from the surplus table.

How to Shop? 🎨

1. Check your card
   When you arrive, you will get a card with a color based on your family size:

   • Green = 1 to 2 people

   • Red = 3 to 4 people

   • Grey = 5 to 6 people

   • Yellow = 7 to 8 people

2. Match your color on the shelves

   • Most shelves have a color label. The number inside your color tells you how many items you can take from that whole shelf.

   • Some shelves have no color label. Follow the posted instructions for those shelves.

   • Numbers may change depending on our inventory. Please check signs each time you visit.

 

Meat, Eggs, and Dairy🥩

• Depending on your card color, you can shop from  only one side of the meat and egg fridge.

• Your card color will indicate which side of the meat freezer or egg/dairy fridge you can shop from

• You can choose meat or eggs. Please don’t get eggs if you already got meat.

• Milk is reserved for families with children. 

• Extra dairy products like yogurt or creamer in the milk fridge are available to everyone. You can take one.

• Please do not take eggs or milk if they are not listed on your card.

 

Special Dietary Sections🌾

• Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Diabetic, and Halal sections are only for clients who require these diets.

• We receive very few donations for these shelves. If you qualify, tell staff so we can note it in your file and on your card.

• Please don’t shop these sections if you don’t qualify.

Vegetables and Cereal🥦

• Vegetables: Each bin at the vegetable station has a number showing how many you can take.

• Cereal: We have two cereal sections. If one says 0 for your color, skip that section and shop from the other.

 

Pet Food🐶🐱

• If you have a cat or dog, let us know so we can add it to your file and card.

• You do not need an appointment for pet food. Just ask when you visit.

• Pet food availability changes and may not always be in stock.

🛍 Bring Your Own Bags

• Please bring your own shopping bags. We cannot guarantee bags will be available.

When you are done shopping,  please let a staff/volunteer know, we will weigh your items and write the weight on your card. We do this to track our food outgoing.

Have questions? Our staff and volunteers are always happy to help. Please reach out!