Menu items (cans, packaged goods, small-quantity items) will only be added to the Wish List by the Management Team. Dairy or refrigerated items, except cheese, will be added by Shift Supervisors.

• Menu items stay on the Wish List until we run out or the Management Team removes them (no member removes an item without consulting 2 others).
• Dairy/refrigerated items should be moved out quickly; the Shift Supervisor checks for these at the start of each shift.

Following Feeding America/Philabundance guidelines, any food past the 1-year expiration date shall not be put on the menu.

• Items with questionable dates go in a designated area (one for canned/boxed, one for frozen) for Management Team review at the weekly meeting.
• Large quantities with questionable dates go on the table outside the kitchen with a note asking the Management Team to review.

Canned/boxed items past 1 year from expiration, dented cans, and overflow (produce, bread, candy, etc.) go on the Front Give Away Shelf for clients to take at their own discretion.

• Shift Supervisors or the Management Team place odd items on the shelf.
• During summer/hot weather, shifts throw away any items remaining at the end of their shift.

To comply with Philabundance and Serv-Safe guidelines, the pantry will no longer repack any food items except:

• Individually wrapped tea bags, sugar & sweetener, and Keurig K-cups
• Loose produce
• Dog & cat food

No loose bread items may be repacked.

Any homemade canned, frozen, or prepared food products cannot be accepted under any circumstances. The pantry only accepts commercially canned, frozen, or prepared items, and a copy of the organization's current Serv-Safe Certification must be on file.

Food prepared by organizations (frozen or prepared) is accepted only if:

• A copy of the organization's current Serv-Safe Certification is on file at the pantry.
• The food item has a label listing all ingredients (for Philabundance compliance).

Produce is given out at each shift following "most perishable first." If the Shift Supervisor judges produce won't last until the next shift, give extra to each client.

• Most perishable: grapes, berries, tomatoes, cut vegetables & fruits, lettuce, spinach, kale, peppers, cucumbers, peaches, bananas.
• Least perishable (whole, not cut): potatoes, carrots, onions, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, apples, oranges, squash.
• Trash bags are not safe for food and may affect a client's health.

Following Feeding America/Philabundance guidelines, any frozen food past the 1-year expiration date shall not be put on the menu.

• The Management Team documents the date all frozen food is received and places like items in the same bin.
• The Management Team monitors the freezers so frozen food is put on the menu in a timely manner, before the 1-year expiration date.

Rotation order: Federal food is given out first, then State food, then donated food starting with the oldest date (Philabundance is considered donated food). Items are shelved in designated shopping areas with extra storage above or below.

Families outside QFP's service area are advised of the nearest pantry and given 1 pre-packed bag (canned & dry goods) per family plus bread & desserts.

• They receive food regardless of whether they present ID or proof of residency.
• No distinction is made between regular, federal, or state food or meats.
• They complete all paperwork and are marked as referred to the proper pantry.

Amended September 9, 2026 to remove the prior clauses requiring ID after the 3rd visit and withholding federal/state food and meats. See Policy 22.

Donated eggs must be in dozen or dozen-and-a-half cartons. Per Philabundance and Serv-Safe guidelines the pantry cannot repack any food items (see Policy 04). Always check with the Management Team or in the egg refrigerator before accepting donated eggs.

This policy protects volunteers and clients during a pandemic, especially those at high risk. Protocols cover: (A) volunteer and client safety, (B) cleaning and disinfecting, and (C) procedures upon discovery that the pantry has been exposed to a probable or confirmed case. See the full policy for complete details.

Anyone who comes into the pantry to volunteer must go through a training program. A student needing only a few hours for a school service project will receive on-the-job training, be paired with a trained volunteer, and will not work alone.

• Volunteers 15 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
• Volunteers 16 and above can work without a parent/guardian.
• Volunteers must be 21 to work at the desk.
• Youth groups must have at least 2 adult supervisors from that group present.

The pantry will only accept volunteers who are not currently clients, due to conflicts and confidentiality risks.

• Community members who donate food expect it to go to clients, not volunteers.
• If a volunteer needs food, they must contact the board and may need to temporarily suspend volunteering and sign up as a client.

• Anyone with court-ordered community service will not be accepted as a volunteer.
• Juveniles referred to the Youth Aid Panel are accepted — applicants must email the pantry to be considered; all juveniles under 16 must be accompanied by a parent.

Use of the pantry for meetings is limited to groups or individuals affiliated with the pantry. Unless approved by the Board, outside groups may not use the premises.

• Concerns include client/volunteer confidentiality, liability, and use of utilities.
• Groups like the Crop Walk and Lion's Club are grandfathered in.
• Affiliated groups (Quakertown Outreach — Joanne's group, Code Blue) may continue.

The pantry is a source of food for all those in need who approach us. Any volunteer providing food must:

• Ensure client paperwork is completed.
• Provide only what is on the menu that week, according to family size.
• Document the distribution on the sign-in sheet and client book.

Weekly menus are based on estimated portion sizes relative to household size. Meats are placed in bins marked for households of 1–2 and 3+. Additional meats are in the rolling cart in the walk-in freezer.

• Bone-in meat: ½ lb (8 oz) per person
• Boneless/ground meat: ⅓ lb (6 oz) per person
• Individual cuts (small pork chops, chicken thighs, small steaks): 1 per person. Larger cuts (extra-large chicken breasts, large/thick steaks): serve 2 people per cut.
• Frozen meat-based meals (Banquet, Lean Cuisine, etc.): households of 1–2 people
• Fish sticks: 1 box serves 1–2 people
• Fish fillets (10 per box): 1 box serves 3–5 people
• Small whole chickens: serve 2–3 people · Turkeys: serve 4+ people
• Hot dogs: 2 per person — 1–4 people: 1 pack of 8; 5–8 people: 2 packs; 9+ people: 3 packs

The pantry can no longer accept or store non-food items, except paper products and personal items used for pantry operations. No clothing, toys, electronics, dishes, etc.

For community drop-offs and food drives:

1. Weigh all items.
2. Record the total pounds in the donation book with the donor's name and the date.
3. Put away any produce, breads, desserts, or items that need to go in the refrigerator or freezer.
4. Put all cans and dry goods in the blue cart, or — if it's full — on the wood pallet next to the cart.
5. If the blue cart is full, text Melissa, our Food Drive Coordinator (number in the Contact Lists section).