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Thank you for your interest in applying for partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank (SHFB). Second Harvest is one of 11 food banks in Indiana that collects, secures, and distributes donated food to more than 200 community partners in 8 counties in East Central Indiana. We accept applications monthly and pursue partnerships with those that exhibit thoughtful and organized intentions that align with our mission to end hunger across our service area.
Please read the following agreements carefully and in their entirety before submitting your application. In this form, you will find contact information for our Agency Services staff, a checklist for documents to include in the application, an explanation of operational requirements, and general information about Second Harvest and how we operate.
Second Harvest receives many requests for partnership each year, and we cannot guarantee that every applicant will be accepted into the network. It is in your best interest to complete every applicable section of the application with as much detail as possible.
We understand that every organization is different, and you may have questions about how to complete certain parts of the application. Our staff is happy to help you with this process and will be available for appointments at Second Harvest or by phone and email (see the following pages for contact information). Additionally, contact any of our Agency Services staff if you need more information about Second Harvest before applying.
We look forward to learning more about your work in the community and how we can partner to help you accomplish your goals of serving the community. SHFB is proud to be a part of a network that works passionately to end hunger in our area, and we thank you for your efforts to join this cause.
Sincerely,
Sunni Matters, Chief Impact Officer 765-287-8698 x 116 | smatters@curehunger.org
Second Harvest Food Bank’s Mission: Our mission is to provide help for today by feeding the hungry and hope for tomorrow by addressing the causes of food insecurity while empowering people toward self-sufficiency.
Second Harvest Food Bank’s Vision: Our vision is to see people in East Central Indiana free from hunger and self-sufficient.
What we do:Second Harvest feeds people facing food and resource insecurity by providing the healthiest food available. We partner with new and existing organizations to provide services that help stabilize families economically and promote good health. We advocate for programs and legislation that recognize and help meet the needs of food-insecure people. We operate our organization in a spirit of excellence, working toward a day when everyone in our community can access enough nutritious food to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Your agency must provide services within the Second Harvest's eight-county service area. These counties are Blackford, Delaware, Grant, Henry, Jay, Madison, Randolph, and Wabash.
Applications are accepted throughout the year. Second Harvest’s Agency Relations team will review applications in February and August, with new agency training offered in March and September. We realize that not all feeding programs are the same. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions after reading the application information.
Please note: Completion of the application does not guarantee partnership. We reserve the right to refuse partnerships to programs not meeting our criteria. The application may be put on a waiting list if there are no partnership openings in your geographical area at the time of application.
Second Harvest does not partner with organizations for one-time events or special occasions. Second Harvest strives to provide practical support to partners who can increase their capacity to serve more people. The programs we partner with that have the greatest capacity to increase their impact in the community are food pantries and kitchens that serve consistently throughout the year.
Partnership with Second Harvest offers many benefits:
The following items are the minimum operational requirements to become an Agency Partner of Second Harvest Food Bank:
Second Harvest Food Bank and Feeding America require that before an agency can be approved for partnership, it must pass a site inspection. After approval, the site will continue to schedule bi-annual monitoring visits with Second Harvest’s Agency Service Staff.
What do we look for in a site inspection?
Shared Maintenance Costs are nominal handling fees for costs incurred that are regulated by Feeding America and allowed by the IRS. These handling fees help offset some of the costs of collecting, sorting, packaging, handling, and storing food and household products. Second Harvest Food Bank does not sell food. Agencies should not use the term “buy” when referring to Second Harvest Food Bank’s handling fees. The current fee is $0.19/lb. SHFB’s board of directors may adjust the handling fee based on changes in need, product availability, storage, and transportation costs.
As a convenience to partners, SHFB may purchase products that partners have indicated an interest in but are not donated in large enough quantities to satisfy demand. Additional costs may be incurred by partner agencies who select products like these that are acquired through co-operative (co-op) purchases. In these cases, we pass the wholesale cost to partner agencies. Through our Feeding America network connections, we can secure the items at a competitive price and provide these highly desired products alongside other donated ones.
Monday: Madison Tuesday: Jay, Randolph, Blackford Wednesday: Grant, Wabash Thursday: Delaware, Henry
Agencies must order by 5 pm, three business days prior to their requested delivery/pick up day, to allow the SHFB warehouse staff 48 hours to create a delivery schedule and pull orders. This includes produce. The delivery schedule will be based on orders placed for that day.
Following this ordering policy, the SHFB warehouse staff will confirm each agency’s order and delivery/pick-up time slot by 5 pm the day after the order deadline. Agencies receiving deliveries will receive a two-hour window of when the truck will arrive.
Agencies that cancel their delivery on the day of delivery will incur a $100 restocking fee.
Orders must be emailed to orders@curehunger.org or faxed to 765.287.2036
Upon approval of partnership, every agency must attend the New Agency Orientation, which outlines the policies and procedures for being a Partner Agency with Second Harvest Food Bank. The agency program’s Director, Primary, and Secondary Contacts must attend. At least two people from each agency are required to attend the orientation. If your food distribution is managed by someone other than these representatives, please plan on their attending the training, as well.
Director: Person entrusted with the overall direction of the agency. Primary/Manager: The person responsible for day-to-day operations of your program. Secondary: The backup to the Primary Contact.
These orientations will be offered at Second Harvest and scheduled as needed throughout the year.
Is your organization looking to make an impact in the community by donating food? Get started here! Fill out this form and a member of our team will reach out to get you started.
