Food Safety

Food Safety
According to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, over 76 million cases of foodborne illness occur in the United States each year.  Nothing is more important than the safety of the food items we provide to the community.

Food safety is a key component in managing our food donations and their distribution.  No matter who donated the food, or who is handling it, we insist on strict regulations every day, for every item and for every employee and volunteer working with us.  We are dedicated to providing a superior product to our member agencies and the communities they serve.

Following up-to-date food safety precautions can prevent the spread of bacteria and thus foodborne illnesses.  We model the best practices in all aspects of food handling in our warehouse and in the transportation of our food.  People are the first line of defense against the spread of bacteria.  Through the regulations our staff follows, we are able to eliminate potential sources of bacterial contamination.  Transporting food in a safe and timely manner assures the product will not spoil before it reaches its final destination.

Care and Share has strict requirements for its member agencies when it comes to food safety.  For the protection of the consumer, we enforce proper refrigeration and freezer storage of all perishable food products we distribute.  Guidelines for dry food storage, all food preparation, the thawing and cooking of food, serving food and how to handle leftovers are all tightly regulated.  Regular site-inspections give us the opportunity to see first-hand how our member agencies follow proper procedures to maintain safe food storage and distribution.  

Member agencies are able to request food safety training for staff and volunteers by contacting the Danette Flickenger, Commodity and Food Safety Coordinator at 719.528.1247  EXT- 4683

Please click the following links for additional food safety information: