Connecticut Food Bank partners with the local food industry to eliminate waste while helping to feed people in need.
About Food Rescue Operation
CFB's Food Rescue Operation (FRO) collects donations of unused prepared and perishable food and produce from New Haven area restaurants, caterers, dining halls, grocery stores and other facilities, and redistributes the food to community programs that feed people in need.
Our FRO driver picks up unused prepared food and delivers it in a refrigerated van to local shelters and soup kitchens who serve the food as soon as possible to people in need.
Businesses such as Big Y, Brookside Farm Market, Christopher Martin's, Claire’s CornerCopia, and Stop & Shop Supermarkets donate surplus food to help hunger-relief efforts.
Currently, the FRO delivers food to soup kitchens and food pantries in the greater New Haven area. With increased funding, we hope to expand the FRO to other metropolitan areas.
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"Extra Helpings"
In 2006, CFB launched a new phase of the FRO called "Extra Helpings." This unique project solicits 'extra helpings' of prepared food, such as pasta or soup of the day, from New Haven restaurants for direct distribution to local soup kitchens and emergency shelters. CFB picks up the prepared food and delivers it to the food program for serving the same day to people in need. This "Extra Helping" from the restaurant provides more food, more consistently to programs that serve large numbers of people. And since CFB knows ahead of time what to expect, we can easily arrange for this food to go where it is most needed.
Currently, Cafe George by Paula, Christopher Martin's and Chestnut Fine Foods participate in "Extra Helpings" and we are looking for additional restuarants, caterers and dining halls to help us feed more people in need.
How You Can Help
If your restaurant or venue is interested in donating prepared food, contact us to arrange for pick up. If possible, we can arrange for a weekly or daily pick-up. If you are planning an event — such as a wedding, birthday party, bar/bat mitzvah, company picnic — and anticipate leftover food, contact us ahead of time to arrange for pick-up at the conclusion of your event. If you unexpectedly have unused food after an event, please call us as soon as possible to arrange pick up.
At the time of pick-up, we will inventory your donation and provide you with a receipt, which may be used for tax-relief purposes. (For more information, check with your tax professional.)
To donate, contact Carolyn Russell, Product Donation Coordinator, at (203) 469-5000, ext. 312, or crussell@ctfoodbank.org.
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Donation Guidelines
It is very important that the food we serve to those in need has been prepared, handled and delivered safely. Our FRO driver is certified in safe food handling and we require all of our donors to follow these donation handling and storage guidelines:
- All donations must meet health and safety standards set by the local health department.
- Foods must come from a health-department inspected kitchen.
- Food must be within code date.
- Hot foods must be maintained at 140°F or above during serving time and refrigerated or frozen within two hours after completion of serving.
- Cold food must be maintained at 40°F or below and refrigerated within two hours after completion of serving.
- Containers must be food safe and securely closed.
- Each type of food must be packaged separately.
- Separate containers must be used for food prepared on different dates.
We Do Not Accept:
- Prepared food that has been reheated.
- Buffet food that has been available for public self-service.
Connecticut Food Bank and their agencies follow safe-handling procedures from the Food Safety and Handling Manual of America’s Second Harvest, the nation’s food bank network.
For More Information
For more information about CFB's Food Rescue Operation, contact Carolyn Russell, Product Donation Coordinator, at (203) 469-5000, ext. 312, or crussell@ctfoodbank.org.
Liability Protection
In 1996, the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act was signed into federal law to encourage donations of food and grocery products to non-profit organizations for distribution to individuals in need. For more information about the protection offered to food donors as well as the full text of the Act, click here.
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