(1) How to Start a Food Bank: 6 Simple Steps

1. Assess the need

• Remember that even if your town or neighborhood already has a food pantry, this does NOT mean the your community's food assistance needs are being met. Most food pantries only distribute twice a month, so perhaps consider doing your distribution the opposite two weeks.
• Once you assess the need, you may want to look into creating eligibility standards (I.E. what kind of income levels the person/family makes in order to partake in your services)

          2. Secure a site

• Try to make sure you have a consistent and stable place to distribute from. This will not only be easier on you, but creates a stability for the clients as well.
• For example, If working in conjunction with a church or temple perhaps they could allow you to use a part of their basement for the food distribution. However, do not forget that no matter where the site is, it is important to make sure all excess food is protected from rodents and the like, perhaps by metal cabinets.
• Make sure to comply with all applicable state and local fire safety, food storage/handling requirements and health codes. You will want to call your local Dept. of Health for this.

          3. Call your local food bank

• Try to secure an alliance with your local food bank. Food banks are similar to a "supermarket" for food pantries. They usually receive fairly large donations and then break those down for each food pantry, as well as sometimes assist in funding.

         4. Look to the community for help

• Word of mouth, as well as fliers or other creative ideas can help generate awareness of the new food pantry, as well as encourage donations and volunteers.
• Keep in mind, the variety of opportunities for everyone in the community to take part in with the creation of a food pantry. Be sure to vocalize them so everyone knows there is a role for them. (I.E. working at the site, financial book keeping, writing letters to funders and food sources etc.)

          5. Talk to your local Supermarkets/ Restaurants/Hotels

• Just because they have to throw their food away, does not mean it is unfit for consumption. Try talking to the manager about saving all that wasted food and giving it to your food pantry or soup kitchen.
• Keep in mind with food of this nature, that is "gleaned" or "saved", it would probably be best to work out an agreement so that the food is used that day. (I.E. agree that every 2nd and 4th Tuesday you will make a pickup since you distribute every 2nd and 4th Tuesday.)
• N.B. The Emerson Good Samaritan Act protects individuals as well as organizations that donate food in good faith against law suits being filed due to illness etc.

*** Keep in mind that just because people are being generous and donating, you should not hesitate to discard an item that may not look safe. Be sure to try and check expiration dates, as some people donate in good faith, but may forget how old some of their food is.

          6. Try to Secure Funding

• One can not always depend on donations, and some food banks charge a fee to obtain food from their sites. Try to visit the local businesses in the area and see if they would be interested in "funding" the food pantry. (I.E. monthly monetary donations.) Explain to the business owner how this would not only benefit the community, but would also create positive attention to their business as well.
  Some other ideas for funding include:
• Mazon Foundation (funding specifically for food pantries)
• Foundation Center's website

Depending on if you are a church, you get in touch with the National Association of your particular church (Lutheran, Baptist, etc)

• Try to get donations from any local clubs such as Kwanis Club, Rotary Club
• Have the private high schools in your area do a food/can drive to donate to your efforts
• See what kind of commodities you can obtain from the government

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Matthew 25:34-46 " Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."