Church food closets donate a variety of foods.
Church food closets, like churches themselves, take many different forms. Some are quite small, as the word "closet" implies, and serve a limited number of people -- perhaps just church members. Some church food closets are large enough to serve many people in the community. If you want to start one in your church, there are factors you need to consider and steps you need to take before opening the doors.
Instructions
1. Meet with your pastor and other church leaders to discuss starting a food closet and, if necessary, to obtain their approval. They might want to present the idea to the congregation before you proceed.
2. Contact other churches that have food closets in your area. They might be able to give you advice about get started and avoid problems.
3. Define the scope and decide what type of food to provide. The food closet can serve church members only, or it can also serve the community. It can provide food on an emergency basis only or on an ongoing basis. Some food closets provide only canned and packaged foods.
4. Determine where to locate it, finance it and staff it. A food closet might actually be in a closet, it might occupy several rooms in a church building or it might occupy a separate building. Its location might change after awhile. For example, the Culpeper Food Closet in Virginia began in 1984 in a closet under the stairs, but as of 2011 it takes up the entire ground floor of the church building. Churches receive donations of food and money from their members and sometimes from businesses in the community. You will need church members to volunteer their time to stock the food closet, to hand out food and to keep records. Depending on the size of the food closet, you might need a volunteer coordinator.
5. Establish criteria for eligibility to receive food. Some food closets, such as the LIFE Hope Lutheran Church Food Closet in Delaware, require a referral from a social agency. Some require a photo ID. Some, such as the Church of Our Saviour Food Closet in Virginia, have no particular eligibility criteria.
6. Set days and times that it is open for distributing food. Some food closets are open a few hours every weekday. Some, such as the Grace Food Closet in Oregon, are open for a few hours once a week. Some have no hours, but instead provide food on an as-needed basis. For example, the Adventure Christian Church in California receives food donations from church members and then prepares a box of food and gives it to someone when the need arises.
7. Inform church members about the opening of the food closet. Put a notice in the church bulletin and ask the pastor to make an announcement during the church service, informing the members about the need for volunteers and donations. Update your church website on a continual basis to keep church members informed about specific needs, such as when you're running out of a particular type of food or when you need more volunteers.
8. Get the word out to those who might need help. Some church websites have a food closet page that lists hours of operation and explains any eligibility criteria.
Tags: food closets, church members, closet might, provide food, Some food
