Become A Partner Agency

Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado is an important resource to more than 325 social service programs throughout the 31-county service area of southern Colorado in which Care and Share operates. We encourage agencies with food programs to maximize the dollars they spend on food by becoming partner agencies of Care and Share Food Bank.

Our Partner Agencies obtain food from Care and Share two ways, by visiting one of our warehouses to shop in either Colorado Springs or in Pueblo, or by ordering food through our website.  These agencies select from a wide variety of packaged dry food, refrigerated or frozen food and fresh produce, and pay a shared maintenance fee for some of the products they select. (Fresh produce, bread and pastries are always free.) This shared maintenance system provides agencies with a low-cost source of food (many at $.19 per pound) and helps to defray our operation costs.

Our supplies include fresh produce, bread, canned foods, frozen products and personal care items. We also purchase some items from food brokers around the nation as well, which we make available to agencies at a low-cost, shared maintenance fee.

Process

 

To be eligible for Care and Share Food Bank membership, an organization must:

• Possess a nonprofit 501(c)3 IRS status in the form of a determination letter from the IRS granting 501(c)3 status. A tax identification number or state certification obtained by the Colorado Secretary of State’s office is not sufficient.
• Confirm that the agency serves low-income clients, the ill, needy or infants, and that donated products will be used to care for these clients; must confirm that clients will not be charged for Care and Share Food Bank products.
• Serve all client participants regardless of race, sex, color, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, disability or mental condition.
• Confirm that Care and Share Food Bank products will not be exchanged for money, products, services or client participation in activities; or transferred to another site other than a designated program site. Food distribution cannot be contingent on attendance at a religious service.
• Agree to inspection and monitoring by Care and Share Food Bank.
• Adhere to Care and Share Food Bank policies regarding acquiring, transporting, storing and distributing of donated product in a safe and appropriate manner.
• Adhere to all Care and Share Food Bank policies, as delineated in the participating Agency Agreement.

 

1. Pre-application audit

Before submitting an application for membership with Care and Share, it is recommended that your organization review the following considerations pertinent to a successful operation:

Food Pantry

• Adequate space/location for a pantry,
• Budget for operating the pantry,
• Volunteers for assisting with the ongoing operations, and
• Board of Directors’ support and participation in the pantry.

 

It may be helpful to download and read the document on Organizing and Operating a Food Pantry. Care and Share Food Bank encourages collaborations between agencies rather than a duplication of efforts. It could be that one organization has a more suitable location or space while another organization can contribute funds or volunteers. Please research to determine if a pantry already exists nearby, before establishing a new pantry potentially serving the same clients in the same neighborhood.

 
When completing the application, it is only necessary to complete (A) Emergency Food Pantry in Section II, in addition to the rest of the application.

Soup Kitchen

Please review below the requirements and preferences established for soup kitchens accessing Care and Share’s resources.

A soup kitchen requesting membership with Care and Share needs:

• A letter to the health department letting them know what the organization is intending to do – i.e. prepare meals on site.
• A 3-compartment sink, plus a separate hand washing sink.
• NSF certified equipment.
• A hot water tank that can heat water to appropriate temps (180 degrees for dishwashing machines, or 110 degrees for hand washing).
• Food thermometers on hand for testing interior and exterior food temperatures.

When completing the application, it is only necessary to complete (C) Soup Kitchen in Section II, in addition to the rest of the application.

Feeding Site

The requirements for feeding sites are less stringent than soup kitchens. Feeding sites many times operate in conjunction with emergency food pantries or non-emergency food pantry by offering congregate meals on a lesser scale than soup kitchens.

Care & Share will defer to the requirements of the local health department in each county for regulations affecting the site’s kitchen facilities. Care & Share only requires a copy of the letter sent from the applying agency to the health department informing them of their intent to prepare meals on site at the agency’s location.

Non-Pantry Agency

Care and Share is happy to partner with social service agencies that would be considered  Non-Pantry agencies serving  specialized populations of residents such as day cares, camps, shelters, state licensed group homes or residential programs. An organization such as these described would seek membership as a Basic Member with Care and Share and have access to food from our shopping list  or on the warehouse floor, as well as the produce and bread/pastry items available at no charge (see our Product Access chart).

 

In the application, you need only complete (B) Residential/On-site Program in Section II, in addition to the rest of the application.

2. Application downloads
Please download the following documents to assist you in the application process:

• Welcome Letter 
• Agency Agreement

• Care and Share Agency Application 

 

3. Submit application
Please call, fax or e-mail to have any questions answered about the application process by someone in the Agency Relations Department, or to submit your application.
• Call: (719) 528-1247
• Fax: (719) 528-5833
• E-mail tom@careandshare.org

4. Site Inspection

The final step in the application process to receive approval as a Care and Share agency is to have your site inspected by a representative of the Care and Share staff. After your application is submitted and processed, someone will contact your organization to arrange for a site inspection at your location.