Mobile Pantries deliver large amounts of groceries to partner sites “Just-In-Time” to be quickly distributed to individuals in need. Food is delivered by Community Food Bank of Central Alabama from its warehouse in Birmingham. Volunteers pack the food into grocery boxes at their site and distribute boxes to participating families via a “drive-through” distribution system. By remaining in and being served in their cars, participating families and volunteers are able to maintain safe social distancing in accordance with CDC guidance.
Potential partners might include but not necessarily be limited to the following:
-Schools
-Child daycare facilities
-senior care and/or residential facilities
-public housing authorities / communities
-Churches
-501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations
-hospitals/clinics
-public libraries
-colleges / universities / technical schools
Partners must have the following capacities and facilities:
- Ability to conduct outreach to vulnerable populations (e.g., households with children or older adults)
- Ability to recruit and organize volunteers to SAFELY receive, repackage, and distribute a MINIMUM of 3,000 lbs of groceries in a relatively short amount of time–all while strictly adhering to CDC social distancing guidelines.
- Ability to report numbers of households served during Mobile Pantry to CFBCA staff after the fact.
- A large, level, paved parking lot capable of safely accommodating a 26′ refrigerated box truck.
- Ability/facilities for disposing of large amounts of garbage including bulk food packaging, shrink wrap, and empty pallets.
- A distribution/food staging area accessible by pallet jack (i.e., via a smooth, paved/concrete surface)
- A distribution area conducive to serving participating families directly in their cars via a “drive-through” distribution model.
For questions regarding Mobile Pantries or other grocery programs, please contact Jon Barnacastle, Programs Coordinator, at wjbarnacastle@feedingal.org.