Announcements, Reminders & Updates |
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Agency Agreements & Annual Agency Dues |
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All agency partners must read, understand, and sign the Helping Harvest Agency Agreement, TEFAP agreement, & Policies and Procedures every two years, which outlines the terms and conditions of the partnership.
In addition to these agreements, agencies need to sign the delivery waiver form if their agency receives deliveries inside or would like their deliveries inside. If an agency does retail pick-ups, a new retail agreement will be sent in addition to the other agreements.
In addition to these agreements, agencies utilizing Service Insights will also receive a separate agreement.
Required agreements have begun to be sent out. Please send back all agreements by February 29th, 2024, either by email, mail, or by dropping them off at Helping Harvest. Agency Agreements can be sent to Alexis Fick, Agency & Program Relations Coordinator. Annual dues will also be sent out and will remain at $50.
Please review ALL the information in the agreements, as some information has changed.
For any questions about agency agreements and annual dues, please contact Alexis Fick.
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Is Your Food Safety Training Up-to-Date? |
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At least one volunteer at each agency is required to have food safety training, but having another individual trained in food safety, is a good idea!
Basic food safety training is available from Helping Harvest. To schedule a virtual food safety training, please contact Alexis Fick, Agency & Program Relations Coordinator.
If your agency serves meals, ServSafe Food Handler training is required. This training is NOT provided by Helping Harvest. Please contact Alexis if your agency needs additional information on signing up for this training through a certified trainer.
For additional information about Helping Harvest's Food Safety policy, please click the button below.
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Helping Harvest Agency Assessment Survey |
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Helping Harvest is always looking for ways to improve the partnership they have with their partner agencies, which is why we are asking you to complete this survey. None of the questions are required, but all of them, however, are important, and we hope you will choose to answer all questions appropriate to your agency.
Feedback from this survey will help Helping Harvest identify and prioritize where, who and how we serve, as well as identify what is needed from the food bank to improve the relationships with our partner agencies.
Thank you for your time and accuracy in completing this survey!
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Political Guidelines for Food Pantries |
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As we approach the next presidential election, this is just a reminder that food pantries may not engage in political activities when distributing food. Political candidates may not make appearances during distributions and campaign signs and materials may not be evident.
Bags or boxes advertising candidates or political causes may not be used for food packages containing commodities. Political materials may not be included inside or with food packages for distribution. Distribution sites may not require or pressure participants to attend political meetings as a condition of receiving assistance.
Non-partisan political information is allowed as there is no specific candidate information being given but must be given out AFTER the neighbor has received food from the food pantry. Below is an example of a non-partisan organization that would be able to assist neighbors with voter registration at your food pantry distribution.
The League of Women Voters of Berks County is dedicated to turning out the vote in all elections. The League is strictly non-Partisan. To get people to vote, first they must register. This organization would like your help to reach out to your neighbors to help them register or update their registration in time for the next election.
If you are planning any sort of event and would like the League to attend, they can set up a table and be available to answer questions and assist people with their registration AFTER neighbors receive food from your distirbution.
They also have posters that provide detailed information on how to go online to check your registration and to register.
The organization also offers periodic “Train the Trainer” sessions where anyone can learn how to assist people to complete their voter registration.
For more information and to obtain a poster or schedule an event, please reach out to The League of Women Voters of Berks County through [email protected] or by clicking the button below. |
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All Helping Harvest partner agencies are responsible for handling donated food safely and in accordance with state or local food codes.
Agencies are responsible for ensuring food packages are properly labeled. Agencies should NOT distribute or accept any food products/donations that doesn't contain a label listing the ingredients in the product.
If a product comes in a case, which lists the ingredients in the food product, but the food items are in individual packaging (without a label), the agency is responsible for providing neighbors with a label for this food item. In this instance, the agency would have to create their own label for each individual item.
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Please note, agencies should only accept donated food items that have not been opened and are in their original packaging.
The original packaging should have a nutrition/food label on it. The picture to the left is an example of a food product label.
Please click the button down below for an example of a label for donated food products.
For any additional questions related to this topic, please contact Alexis Fick.
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Deliveries & Pick-up Reminders! |
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Please do not put trash or other items in the gaylords after your distribution. Our drivers are happy to pick-up your pallets and gaylords, but each agency is responsible for removing their own trash.
For safety purposes, please make sure there is a clear pathway for your deliveries; this includes making sure that neighbors are in a safe area, away from the delivery truck.
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Prepare for Severe Weather! |
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Please make sure that your agency has an emergency weather plan in place- this should include a plan to clear any snow or ice where you receive deliveries.
On any given day, each of our drivers makes between 5-7 deliveries or pick-ups in Berks and Schuylkill Counties. These tight schedules leave little flexibility for waiting or deviating from normal delivery procedures. If you need to reschedule or discuss alternate plans, please call in advance so that we can be proactive and ensure that your clients have access to the food they need. If you need to make a change in your delivery schedule to inclement weather, please contact Sarah Hoffman.
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In November, Helping Harvest received a grant from Feeding America to continue the Service Insights Initiative! This grant will give Helping Harvest the ability to hire a full-time staff person to assist agencies with implementing Service Insights! We are currently hiring a Service Insights Specialist- please share this job ad with anyone who might be interested!
In February, Alexis Fick & Krista Renenger are headed to Chicago, Illinois for Feeding America's Service Insights Grant Workshop to learn more about Service Insights and to connect and learn from other food banks across the nation!
If your agency isn't familiar with Service Insights, please review the information below!
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What is Service Insights?
Service Insights on MealConnect, is a free web-based application developed by Feeding America that can be used to collect administrative information from individuals served by partner agencies and programs of Helping Harvest.
How does Service Insights work?
Service Insights replaces the traditional paper-based neighbor tracking process with an entirely digital one. Pantries verbally ask neighbors for their information and then put it directly into the system, which can significantly streamline the intake and returning service process. In addition, the information gathered can be analyzed in real time and provide insights that the charitable food network can use to further assist neighbors.
What are the benefits of using Service Insights?
Service Insights has multiple benefits for agencies and neighbors as well as the entire charitable food network!
Agency Benefits:
- TEFAP Self Declaration of Need forms and sign-in sheets are completely paperless!
- Streamlined statistics reporting and compliance.
- More detailed neighbor information can be used to inform decisions and improve programs.
Neighbor Benefits:
- Seamless, dignified intake experience
- No need to re-complete paperwork on an annual basis (updates can be made as needed)except for signing a new Self Declaration of Need form.
- Coming Soon: neighbor ability to find food pantry locations and self-register for distributions at participating agencies.
What kinds of programs can I use Service Insights to keep track of?
Service Insights is designed for traditional food pantries, but it can also be used at mobile distributions and walk-up distributions. However, it is important to note that at the present time, Service Insights cannot be used for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), for any congregate meal programs like soup kitchens, shelters, or snack programs.
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Interested in Service Insights? |
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If your agency is interested in utilizing Service Insights at your food pantry distribution, please complete the pre-readiness form. |
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Pantry Council Looking for New Members in 2024! |
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Are you a pantry? Do you want to make a difference? Consider joining the Helping Harvest Pantry Council!
Pantry Council consists of a group of pantry members & coordinators from Berks & Schuylkill Counties.
Pantry Council meets quarterly, and we discuss various topics. Pantry members also provide feedback, concerns, etc., as Helping Harvest is always looking for ways to improve and assist our agencies better!
We are looking for new members to join Pantry Council in 2024!
If you are already apart of Pantry Council, you will have to resubmit an application.
Please complete the Pantry Council Application below if you are interested in joining! New members will be announced on February 29th, 2024, via email.
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Programs Department Contact Information |
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Helping Harvest is currently hiring for multiple positions: Volunteer Coordinator, Bilingual Referral Specialist, and a Nutrition Educator!
Please share these job ads with anyone you think would be interested!
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Agency Contact Information |
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If your agency needs to update any information (address, phone number, contacts, etc.), please click on the button below to complete the 'update contact information' form or scan the QR code!
As we did last year, you will receive an email regarding your agency's contact information. Please review that information and make any necessary changes.
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JW Cooper Community Center, also knows as the Beverly Mattson Memorial Food Bank, receives their Helping Harvest delivery on the first Thursday of the month. Their last delivery was not your typical delivery!
The sidewalks and ramps were covered in snow and in addition to those barriers, roadwork was also happening which prevented the Helping Harvest truck from using their normal route!
An hour before the truck was scheduled to arrive, the volunteers at JW Cooper bought bags of rock salt and began shoveling snow. Once the truck arrived, the volunteers quickly realized that the truck wasn't going to be able to deliver on the other alternative route as well and decided to switch gears! The volunteers talked to the construction workers and blocked the road, so the driver was able to deliver the items! The Helping Harvest truck driver and the volunteers at JW Cooper Community Center worked together to ensure their neighbors received food!
"Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much"-Helen Keller
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Please give a HUGE shout out to Sandy! Sandy is an amazing, dedicated, invaluable asset to Helping Harvest and the Programs Department.
As of January 29th, 2024, Sandy completed 5,000 volunteer hours with us over her seven years at Helping Harvest.
THANK YOU, Sandy, for all the time that you spend with us helping our agencies and neighbors in need!
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Events, Meetings & Discussions |
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Agency One-On-One Meetings |
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If you or someone from your agency has specific questions and would like to setup a one-on-one meeting with Alexis, the Agency & Program Relations Coordinator, you can!
Please click the link below to schedule a meeting! Meetings are offered Monday-Friday from 10:00am-3:00pm. Schedules will vary based on availability.
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Are you a coordinator at a food pantry looking to connect to other food pantries/coordinators? Are you interested in discussing different topics, concerns, provide feedback, provide advice, and learn new ways to distribute at your food pantry?
If you answered yes to any of the items above, please join our new monthly zoom meetings called 'Connection Corner!'
Please join us on the third Thursday of each month at 2:00pm, starting in March! Please click the button below to RSVP to our first 'Connection Corner's' Meeting!
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Helping Harvest Food Bank Tours |
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Have you toured the Helping Harvest Warehouse?
Please contact Alexis Fick, Agency & Program Relations Coordinator, today to schedule your tour!
We would love to host your agency!
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Neighbor Surveys & Neighbor Experience |
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Our topic of the new year will be neighbor surveys and enhancing the neighbor experience!
Neighbor surveys not only provide the food pantry with feedback, but it will also be imperative in assessing the programming and resources at Helping Harvest in addition to enhancing the overall neighbor experience.
We want to improve the neighbor experience and surveys are a great way to collect information and for our neighbors to provide us with feedback.
Neighbor surveys are also a great way to incorporate client choice, especially if your food pantry operates as a mobile distribution!
Please look out for an email in the upcoming weeks!
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Study Quantifies the Benefits of Client Choice |
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While giving clients the opportunity to choose their own food is widely considered a food-pantry best practice, taking the step to add more choice can feel overwhelming, especially when current operations seem to be working just fine.
McDonald Mission Center, an agency of Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee, was among the skeptics when it became part of a recent cohort of 111 pantries that participated in a study to measure the impact of choice. “We were probably the biggest naysayers that it would work,” said Rick Wisecarver, who helps manage the center.
Now, McDonald Mission Center is a convert, having witnessed the benefits of choice within its own organization. Its experience dovetails with those of its fellow study participants, most of whom also described a range of benefits earned by moving to choice.
“Choice is a better way to run a pantry,” said Michael Reynolds, Senior Vice President at NORC, a social research organization at the University of Chicago, which helped run the study. Reynolds is a co-author of the study, along with Katie S. Martin, CEO of More Than Food Consulting, and others.
The study measured the impact of Feeding America’s Choice Capacity Institute, created through a multi-year grant from Morgan Stanley Foundation and aimed at expanding choice at pantries. Feeding America selected 28 food banks and some of their pantries to participate in the Institute, which included ten monthly virtual sessions in 2021 focused on creating a shared language around choice, defining four levels of choice, and offering strategies for increasing it.
The virtual sessions encouraged food banks to help their pantries move along a “choice continuum” ranging from no choice, to limited choice (choosing between 2 or more types of pre-packed items, with the option to decline or choose extra items), to modified choice (choosing from a menu of items that volunteers bag), to full choice, in which a pantry operates like a grocery store.
Before offering choice, pantries cited numerous potential barriers to supporting it, including not having enough volunteers and staff (32%), nor space (27%), nor time (22%), as well as the belief that it was more efficient to prepare bags in advance (29%). Reynolds said pantries also wondered whether volunteers and clients would embrace the change, and whether the change would be worth it.
Growing acceptance of drive-through pantries as a result of the pandemic also proved to be a barrier. Some pantries in the study opted against moving to choice at all because they viewed drive-throughs as more efficient, as well as convenient for senior citizens who could remain in their cars.
Despite these concerns, the study documented widespread positive outcomes among the responding pantries that increased choice. Pantries said clients were more satisfied (85%), as were volunteers and staff (77%), and interactions between the two improved (79%). “No matter the location of the pantry, the community, the size, the resources, the space, everybody could move to some form of choice,” Reynolds said.
In addition, operational flow improved. Pantries said overall operations improved (79%), along with food offerings (77%) and pantry layouts (74%). The operational improvements were not a surprise to Reynolds. “By not wasting so much on food that nobody wants, we can double down and spend resources more efficiently,” he said.
The conversion of McDonald Mission Center toward choice began with learning more about its benefits. “After listening to some of the conversations that we were involved in, we got to understanding,” Wisecarver said. “If we go to the grocery store, we pick what we want. They don’t put it in our bag for us or tell us what we’re going to purchase.”
After surveying its clients, McDonald Mission Center realized a majority would rather choose their own food. So it placed items on tables for clients to select. “When we changed … we changed,” Wisecarver said. It took a bit of getting used to, but the impact was clear. Volunteers are happier and clients who come inside to shop appreciate the conversation. “We have found too that it reduces our workload,” Wisecarver added. “It doesn’t take as many volunteers to get it all set up.” Instead, those much-needed volunteers can shift to other roles, such as assisting clients as they shop.
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The move also led to some surprises. Some items that McDonald Mission Center assumed everyone wanted, such as macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, and rice, for example, weren’t actually that popular. Pop Tarts and canned beef stew, on the other hand, were high on shopping lists.
Training, especially for volunteers, is critical to overcoming hesitation, said Reynolds of NORC. “If you have a good training around why we’re doing this and what’s important and what we think we’ll gain, you stand to have a lot more buy-in and less resistance.” At the same time, once pantries saw how choice improved operations, “it really didn’t take a lot more work to convince people that moving to choice just made it easier in some ways.” Better interactions between volunteers and clients proved equally convincing. “It just seems to introduce much more of this idea that we’re all in this together,” Reynolds said. “It just sells the program.”
As the Choice Capacity Institute enters its third and final year, the focus will shift to creating standardized tools to help more pantries add choice. The goal, Reynolds explained, is to develop a consistent way to think about adding choice, no matter who is conveying the message. — Amanda Jaffe
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Interested in being an 'Agency Spotlight?' |
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If your agency is interested in becoming an agency spotlight, please complete the form linked below! If you have any questions regarding the form or being an agency spotlight, please contact Alexis. |
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Agency Newsletter Feedback |
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Helping Harvest is always looking for ways to grow and adapt to your agency's needs. Please let us know if there is something you would like added to our Agency Newsletter! |
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