Thank you for interest in becoming a partner agency of Treasure Coast Food Bank (TCFB). TCFB is a clearing house for receiving food. We distribute donated and purchased product indirectly to clients, through our Partner Agencies, and we offer direct service through TCFB programs and the Mobile Food Pantry. Our mission is to alleviate hunger by obtaining and distributing food and other essentials in Indian River, Martin, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee Counties.
Who can be a partner agency?
We welcome applications from human service non-profit agencies interested in receiving donated commodities to be provided to the ill, needy or infants. These organizations include (but are not limited to)
- Emergency Food Pantry Assistance
- Emergency Kitchen (soup kitchen/meals)
- Emergency Shelter
- Homeless Drop In Centers
- Rehab Centers
- Snack Programs (After school, Education outreach)
- Residential Treatment Facilities
- State Licensed Group Homes that have paid live-in staff and curriculum
- Transitional Living Facilities
- Senior Programs
- Youth Programs
Things to Consider
Who can't become a partner agency?
Due to limited resources or Feeding America and IRS regulations, we do not partner with organizations that:
- Are seasonal – Example: wish to hand out food only at Christmas or Thanksgiving.
- Summer-Only programs may qualify for partnership as a Summer Feeding site and should contact the Food Bank Programs department for more information and application process.Are municipalities – Example: Schools, government agencies (These may qualify to be a program site of TCFB – Call Program department for more information).
- Do not have proper secured storage and a volunteer base to physically and safely handle, store and distribute donated commodities.
- Are seeking food to support international food relief efforts. (TCFB is a member of Feeding America and commodities are restricted to relief efforts in Indian River, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties. International relief efforts should contact the Global Foodbanking Network at www.foodbanking.org.
- Any organization that seeks to deny service to individuals based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
Shared Handling Fee
DO WE PAY FOR FOOD?
Partner Agencies do not pay for food. 80% of the food available to partner agencies through our organization goes out free of charge, including all fresh fruits and vegetables to encourage the distribution of healthy and nutritious food to our community. An 18 cents per pound shared handling fee will be administered for all special care items, including frozen foods and all non-food items.
The handling fee helps TCFB in deferring transportation and refrigeration costs associated with bringing in food to our area for use by partners. While the handling fee does not cover all transportation and refrigeration costs, it does help and TCFB will continue to absorb the additional costs.
All other services (training, nutrition information, technical support, and troubleshooting) are at no additional cost to Partner Agencies.
Minimum standards for emergency food pantry programs
Treasure Coast Food Bank Partner Agency Minimum Standards for emergency food pantry programs:
- Be open a minimum of twice a month for a minimum of two hours each distribution.
- Display a food pantry sign visible to the public with the following information:
- Days/Hours of Operation
- How often a household may visit
- What to bring (if any)
- Must have experience and be in operation and providing services for a minimum of 60 days.
- This does not apply to current Partner Agencies opening additional locations.
Steps to Partnership
1
Complete and return application and accompanying forms.
2
Attend a Treasure Coast Food Bank Partner Agency Orientation/Safe Food Handling/Civil Rights class.
3
Pass a physical site inspection.
4
Go to Servsafe.com to complete a Food Handlers Certification for Food Pantries, or a Food Managers Certification for agencies who prepare and serve food. Fees apply.
Your Partner Agency application must be complete and return the following:
- The Partner Agency application form.
- Program model outline.
- Copy of 501(c) (3) non-profit organization by the IRS or be affiliated with a 501(c) (3) umbrella organization. An Agency which is a church or a program directly sponsored by a church may use the non-profit designation of the parent affiliation of that church or may affirm by written statement that it essentially meets the fourteen criteria employed by the IRS in defining a church.
- You must also include the completed USDA Eligibility Questionnaire if applicable.
- Copies of any Health Department permits, inspections, Food Manager’s Certificate and/or Food Handler Certifications.
- Signed Letter of Agreement.
- Provide active email account contact information.
The Food Bank board and staff are excited to partner with you. We look forward to working with you!
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online, at https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
- mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or - fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or - email:
program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Para todos los demás programas de asistencia de nutrición del FNS, agencias estatales o locales y sus subreceptores, deben publicar la siguiente Declaración de No Discriminación:
De acuerdo con la ley federal de derechos civiles y las normas y políticas de derechos civiles del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA), esta entidad está prohibida de discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo (incluyendo identidad de género y orientación sexual), discapacidad, edad, o represalia o retorsión por actividades previas de derechos civiles.
La información sobre el programa puede estar disponible en otros idiomas que no sean el inglés. Las personas con discapacidades que requieren medios alternos de comunicación para obtener la información del programa (por ejemplo, Braille, letra grande, cinta de audio, lenguaje de señas americano (ASL), etc.) deben comunicarse con la agencia local o estatal responsable de administrar el programa o con el Centro TARGET del USDA al (202) 720-2600 (voz y TTY) o comuníquese con el USDA a través del Servicio Federal de Retransmisión al (800) 877-8339.
Para presentar una queja por discriminación en el programa, el reclamante debe llenar un formulario AD-3027, formulario de queja por discriminación en el programa del USDA, el cual puede obtenerse en línea en: https://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource-files/usda- program-discrimination-complaint-form-spanish.pdf, de cualquier oficina de USDA, llamando al (866) 632-9992, o escribiendo una carta dirigida a USDA. La carta debe contener el nombre del demandante, la dirección, el número de teléfono y una descripción escrita de la acción discriminatoria alegada con suficiente detalle para informar al Subsecretario de Derechos Civiles (ASCR) sobre la naturaleza y fecha de una presunta violación de derechos civiles. El formulario AD-3027 completado o la carta debe presentarse a USDA por:
- correo:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or - fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or - correo electrónico:
program.intake@usda.gov
Esta entidad es un proveedor que brinda igualdad de oportunidades.
