Who fills the shelves at the pantry?
The pantry receives donated food from churches and organizations in Randolph County. This food is placed on the shelves and distributed to those who use the pantry for supplemental food for their families. Miscellaneous items not on the pantry shopping list are placed on a shelf in the office and recipients are allowed 3 items from those shelves. Recipients are asked to bring in their own plastic bags or reusable shopping bags for each visit.
The pantry receives quarterly a government distribution called TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program). Food recipients need to sign a statement on the back of their intake form declaring their income is at 185% of poverty level.
A Proxy form is necessary when any individual with a condition that makes pick-up at food pantry impossible. This proxy form is needed for each visit. You will be given two forms the first time so you have a form already signed to bring back on the next visit. The individual designating his/her proxy should complete this form every time they use the pantry.
In addition, the pantry orders 9,000 – 18,000 pounds of food bi-weekly from Second Harvest Food Bank in Muncie, Indiana. Food available from Second Harvest varies day by day and the pantry has little control over what food that is available.This means food available to recipients will vary from week to week. The pantry here in Winchester chooses to order all fresh food Second Harvest offers, meat and high protein items, items to compliment TEFAP food, any fruit or fruit juices they offer or any other items previously purchased retail.Meat from Second Harvest is meat donated by grocery stores and items are frozen before the expiry dates shown on the labels.The meat has been properly frozen and stored and according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), frozen foods are safe indefinitely, so their expiration dates apply only to quality and nutritional value.
The Food Pantry receives recall emails from the government and from Second Harvest daily and will alert people at the pantry if there is a recall for items already given out. The pantry will never knowingly give food that has been recalled.
Since the pantry will focus more resources on fresh food and high protein food, we would like you to be aware about dates on food packaging.
“Sell-By (or Pull)” dates on refrigerated foods like milk and chicken tell stores how long to display the product for sale and take into account additional storage time at home.
“Use-By” dates indicate the last day recommended for use of a perishable product while at peak quality. Most products are generally still safe to eat. Simply check the item first for an off odor, a strange appearance, or an unpleasant flavor.
You can use a carton of eggs after the date expires safely for three to five weeks after expiration. Eggs should be stored in their original carton on a shelf, not in the door (where it’s not as cold). Dairy products: Milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter tend to spoil quickly once their dates have passed. Like eggs, these products should be stored on a shelf, not in the door.
Regardless of the date on any product always be on the lookout for spoilage. If a food smells funny to you or has something growing on it that you think shouldn’t be there, throw it out immediately.
Most foods are not only safe to eat, but are also acceptable in terms of taste, aroma, and appearance beyond the expiration date printed on the label. By following the above guidelines, you should be able to determine how long foods are good to eat.
Limited quantities of milk may at times be available at the pantry for families with children who do NOT receive WIC or SNAP benefits.
In addition to grants for food from United Way and the Community Foundation, financial contributions from individuals, churches, businesses and organizations are given each month to the pantry. The pantry uses these funds to buy needed products retail, to pay a minimal delivery fee from Second Harvest, to pay CFS for rent for the pantry space, and to pay for a phone at the pantry in addition to purchasing needed dish soap, laundry soap, and toilet paper and other items. The pantry tries to keep these items at the pantry, but as with anything given out from the pantry, no one is ever guaranteed certain items from the pantry.
The pantry will always try to provide supplemental and nutritional food
to those in need from the resources we have available on a weekly basis.