If you have a question about being a Second Harvest agency, becoming an agency, or your experience as an agency, you're not alone. Click on one of the following questions to see the answer. If you have a question that isn't answered, please feel free to contact the Agency Relations Coordinator.
Emergency Food Providers are non-profit programs with IRS tax exempt status 501(c)3 and have established an ongoing food assistance programs distributing at a minimum of once per month monthly either bags or boxes of groceries and/or prepared meals on-site to their clients. These programs also provide food assistance on an emergency basis to anyone in need.
There are three classifications of Emergency Food Providers:
Emergency Food Pantry
- Provides groceries, at least monthly, to those in need of one-time emergency or occasional food assistance for home preparation and consumption.
- Does not charge a fee or require service from participants in exchange for food.
- Must only require participants to self-declare need.
Emergency Soup Kitchen
- Prepares and serves on site meals regularly to those in need.
- Does not charge a fee or require service from participants in exchange for food.
- Serves all those who present themselves for a meal.
Emergency Shelter
- Regularly provides shelter where those who are homeless are temporarily housed.
- Length of residency is no more than 6 months.
- Does not charge a fee to participants in exchange for food.
Your program must be in existence for a minimum of 6 months prior to apply for membership. Potential member agencies must fill out an agency application, submit the required documentation and have an on-site monitoring by a member of Second Harvest's staff. If you have additional questions, please contact the Agency Relations Coordinator.
Please call the Agency Relations Department at (440) 960-2265, x-227 to learn of available dates and times. All member agencies must complete orientation including food safety training prior to receiving food from Second Harvest.
Yes. Agency appointments are available from 8:00AM – 11:30AM and 1PM until 2:30PM, Monday through Friday.
Highly perishable items like bread and produce can be picked up without an appointment from 9:00AM – 12:00PM, Monday through Friday. First come, first serve. Please be aware that scheduled appointments have our first priority.
Nearly half of the food from Second Harvest is available for free to qualified member agencies. For the remaining portion, there is a shared maintenance fee of fifteen cents per pound. This is an assessed handling cost regardless of product type which helps pay for transportation and storage. Value-Priced (VP) items are purchased for agencies by Second Harvest and distributed to agencies at cost, plus a fifteen cents per pound handling fee. Items available at no shared maintenance fee include bread, fresh produce, dairy products, and some perishable items, as well as USDA, OFP and OACP food. (See USDA, OFP & OACP descriptions below.)
Ask. Call the Customer Service Coordinator at (440) 960-2265, x-228 and we'll be happy to describe any product for you.
The term "USDA" refers to the type of foods available through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). TEFAP is a federal food distribution program sponsored by The United States Department of Agriculture. USDA-donated foods are provided at no charge to approved distribution sites in our region by the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio. To be eligible you must be one of the following emergency food providers: food pantries, soup kitchens, transitional houses and shelters. New agencies are eligible to receive these products after a 90-day waiting period.
The Ohio Food Program (OFP) and Ohio Agricultural Clearance Program (OACP) are funded through the state of Ohio's biennium budget and coordinated by the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks. OFP provides non-perishable food items to emergency food providers and OACP is a market clearing initiative, which has built a strong production alliance between Ohio's agricultural commodity producers, growers and processors to provide fresh and shelf stable nutritious foods for distribution to low-income Ohioans. New agencies are eligible to receive these products after a 90-day waiting period.
Second Helpings is our member agency newsletter, sent to all member agencies. Its' purpose is to keep agencies aware of important information, rules, changes in inventory, dates we are closed, upcoming events and anti-hunger resources.
Feeding America is a network of food banks across the United States. The Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio is a Feeding America affiliate and follows the rules and regulations set forth by Feeding America for a food bank operation. www.feedingamerica.org
The mission of the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks (OASHF) is to maximize the effectiveness of the Feeding America food banks in Ohio in providing food to hungry people. The Association is made up of the state's 12 regional Feeding America food banks OASHF manages several programs including the Ohio Food Program and Ohio Agricultural Clearance Program. www.oashf.org
