Product Processing and Distribution
Feeding America accepts large food donations from processors, distributors, farmers and retail corporations. Because there are not many producers, processors, and wholesalers in the 15-county area we serve, we meet our commitments to the hungry in northeastern North Carolina largely through our affiliation with Feeding America and it's over 200 member food banks. We supplement this with local donations as well as state and Federal programs and resources.
Our member agencies are provided an up-to-date list of available products. They place an order with us, and those items are pulled from the warehouse floor and prepared for pickup, drop off, or delivery. In some cases, a small shared maintenance fee (19 cents/pound) is charged to help cover our cost of transportation, staffing, handling and warehousing. About 50% of our product, however, was distributed to our agencies at no cost.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program is a Federal program that helps supplement the diets of low-income needy persons, including elderly people, by providing them with emergency food and nutrition assistance. Government programs like TEFAP contribute significantly to the Food Bank’s ability to meet our agencies’ needs. Millions of pounds of food and other products come to the Food Bank from local stores, restaurants, farmers, hunters, fisheries, prisons, government sources and other food banks. Our job is to see that all of it is processed quickly and efficiently so that it reaches the hungry men, women and children across northeast North Carolina.
Food and non-food assorted groceries are made available to the Food Bank by other Feeding America Food Banks and reclamation centers. When a truckload is delivered to the Food Bank, it is quarantined in our Holding Area to ensure product safety. When deemed acceptable, it is moved to the Clean and Sort Area. There, each can, box and bag of food is inspected for food safety. If it is safe and good, it is boxed according to type of food. When a full pallet is stacked, it is moved to the warehouse floor for distribution to member agencies.
Of course, the dozens of local food drives held every year by businesses and organizations are crucial to the stability of the Food Pantry program. All food obtained through local campaigns stays in the county where the campaign took place for distribution by member agencies there.