Produce Distribution Application and Agreement

"*" indicates required fields

Thank you for expressing interest in partnering with the Greater Cleveland Food Bank (“GCFB”)! Our mission is: Together with our community, we provide nutritious food and essential resources so our neighbors facing hunger can thrive. Our service area includes Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, Ashland, Ashtabula, and Richland counties.

Applications will not be processed until all required information and documents has been submitted electronically. The process to become a partner agency may take 4-6 weeks. If an application is submitted October - December, you will receive a follow up response in January. We look forward to a great partnership!

Our produce partnerships require a minimum commitment of six months of distribution per year, though year-round participation is strongly encouraged. We are unable to support food donations for one-time special events, annual programs or distributions for organizations that are not partners i.e., Thanksgiving turkey drives, basket giveaways etc.

All organizations must complete the online application to be considered for partnership. Our partnership priorities are programs that have the capability to serve their community at least once per month, providing food to a minimum of 50 households per month, and are located in an underserved area where residents have limited or uncertain access to sufficient, nutritious, and safe food due to financial constraints or lack of availability.

If your organization is new to food distribution, we encourage you to reach out to or visit a current partner of the GCFB for shadowing opportunities or learn more. A map of partners can be found here: https://www.greaterclevelandfoodbank.org/get-help/find-food GCFB also operates a Market at the Community Resource Center at 15500 South Waterloo that is a great model of service to visit.

General Requirements/Guidelines for Becoming a Food Bank Partner Agency

The organization must maintain a 501(c)(3) status as determined by the IRS, or with the extended permission from GCFB, operate under GCFB’s 501(c)(3) status’ umbrella.
Must operate a feeding program that directly serves the needy, ill, infants/children and/or the elderly, and use the Food Bank product only in a manner related to its tax-exempt purpose.
Your organization must be located in an area of need. The Food Bank reserves the right to review the concentration of existing programs in your neighborhood and may make a recommendation to partner with an existing program.
ServSafe Food Handler for Food Bank’s food safety certification is required for all other partners and provided by the Food Bank.
The partnership expected best practice is for at least two partner representatives to have certification regardless of program type.
All food must be distributed at a site approved by the Food Bank. Locations not permitted include a personal residence or storage locker/unit.
Must have paved parking lot or indoor space for distribution, space for a semi-truck to maneuver, road accessibility, a flat space for 6-12 pallets (one pallet can weigh up to 1,800 lbs.), and a clear path to pallet area: no steps, curbs, steep inclines, grass, gravel, snow, ice or soft surfaces
Must have space to discard recyclables, trash, and unservable produce; some undesirable produce is expected and should be composted or discarded with plastic wrap, boxes, cardboard, etc. (dumpster, recycling)
Must have space to store empty pallets until next distribution when Food Bank driver can pick up
Cannot require neighbors to pay a fee for meals or pantry bags of food. All products must be distributed at no charge, with no suggested or implied donation amount.
Cannot impose volunteer requirements for neighbors to receive food. In addition, volunteers and/or staff may access the services provided, but must meet guidelines for service and be served in a manner that is consistent with all other neighbors. Special treatment for staff/volunteers is prohibited.
Must have the ability to use an internet-based client intake system (requires internet capabilities and computer on-site at the distribution time).
Program contacts must also sign a confidentiality agreement to access the neighbor intake system, PantryTrak.
Food Bank product must only be distributed / used for the approved program's neighbors, it must not be distributed or sold to another person, agency, group or organization or used for any other purpose (ex: fundraisers, block parties).
Must maintain regular, published hours of operation. Programs open to the public must have hours posted and visible. If service hours change, the Food Bank must be notified. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank reviews agency service hours regularly and may request or encourage your site to adjust service times based on community need.
Must maintain a filing system for paperwork that includes Food Bank invoices, monthly statistical reports, and client income eligibility forms (if applicable). All paperwork must be kept for 7 years, and made available upon request.
Must be willing to provide the Food Bank with regular service statistics by submitting a monthly statistical within 48 hours of the distribution every month that summarizes how many people were served during the previous month. Monthly stats must be submitted electronically.
Must allow site-visits, sometimes without prior notification.
Must have the capacity, willingness, and desire to help distribute nutritious foods, close dated product, and help the Food Bank meet its mission and organizational goals.

Section I: General Information

Organization Name:*

Address:*

Street Address Address Line 2 City ZIP / Postal Code

Distribution Address:

If different from the organization address.

Street Address Address Line 2 City ZIP / Postal Code

Phone number listed for the public:*

Main program contact name:*

First Last

Title/role:*

Program contact cell number (not for public listing):*

Program contact email:*

Alternate program contact name:*

First Last

Title/role:*

Alternate program contact cell number (not for public listing):*

Alternate program contact email:*

Authorized people to sign for delivery:

Person 1:*

First Last

Person 1 Phone Number:*

Person 2:*

First Last

Person 2 Phone Number:*

Is your organization either a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or a governmental entity?*

Yes

CLICK HERE to view an EXAMPLE of an IRS 501(c)(3) Determination Letter.

Please attach a copy of your 501(c)(3)*

Max. file size: 49 MB.

Does your program have reliable internet access and the necessary equipment to complete participant intake and submit monthly reports through an online system?*

Yes

Number of Staff/Volunteers involved in the program:*

Number of Staff/Volunteers who will be designated to perform administrative tasks such as neighbor intake and monthly stat reporting:*

How many staff or volunteers will be assigned to unload deliveries from the Food Bank, and are they able to safely lift up to 40 pounds?*

Describe the area where you will hold the distribution:*

i.e. indoor community room, parking lot

In the event that food remains after the distribution, what is your plan for handling any leftover food?*

Section II: Community Connections

Please provide a brief description of your proposed produce distribution program, including who will be served, how distributions will operate, and any partnerships involved. This information will be used to determine the appropriate program category.*

Do you plan to serve or focus on a specific population, such as seniors, children, or patients?*

Yes

Please explain:*

Are you currently connected with any community resources or wraparound partners?*

Yes

Please explain:*

Will your program be able to serve homebound neighbors?*

e.g. through home delivery or proxy pickup options

Yes

Please explain:*

What type of programming/resources would your community benefit from?*

Does your program have certain restrictions to participate in your program or receive food?*

e.g. bound by zip codes or city or only participants in your program are allowed to receive assistance

Yes

What restrictions?*

How many households do you anticipate serving at each distribution?*

Section III: Scheduling

Anticipated months of programming:*

Anticipated frequency of programming:*

Weekly

Twice per month

Monthly

Other

What is your preferred day and time for a delivery?*

Deliveries are made Monday – Friday within a two-hour window and subject to approval. Please provide two options. Deliveries can be adjusted based on capacity of the transportation department.

How many volunteers do you currently have to unload a delivery from the Food Bank?*

Please ensure all documentation is uploaded and complete. Next steps after submission would be a pre-site visit of the facility, if approved.

To the best of my knowledge the above information is correct:*

Yes

Application Completed By:*

Completion of this application does not guarantee partnership. We will review your application to ensure it is complete and meets our organizational priorities.