Standard Operating Procedures for Food Rescue and Recovery
For Food CONNECTION VOLUNTEERS
For Volunteer Drivers
We are grateful for our volunteer drivers, who make “food connections” possible. Prior to a Food Connection volunteer completing their first pick-up/delivery, the volunteer must:
- Receive hands-on training from Food Connection staff (or an approved, lead volunteer) on how to execute a successful pick-up and delivery.
- Agree to and understand the importance of immediately moving the food from Donor Location to Recipient Location, with no stops in between.
- Review and sign off on any required Volunteer Best Practices materials.
Interested in becoming a Food Connection volunteer in your city? Let us hear from you!
Liability
The short answer: Yes, it is safe and legal to donate prepared food!
The long answer: Please visit our extensive page of food donor liability resources here.
READY TO HELP?
We would love to get you plugged in as a food rescue hero! Click the link below to create an account with our food rescue software, "Chow Match.
Keep Food Safe! Food Safety Basics
Leftovers
- Discard any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature was above 90 °F).
- Place food into shallow containers and immediately put in the refrigerator or freezer for rapid cooling.
- Use most cooked leftovers within 3 to 4 days. (See Food Safety Basics link below)
- Reheat leftovers to 165 °F.
Storage
- Always refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours (1 hour when the temperature is above 90 °F).
- Check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer with an appliance thermometer. The refrigerator should be at 40 °F or below and the freezer at 0 °F or below.
- Cook or freeze fresh poultry, fish, ground meats, and variety meats within 2 days; other beef, veal, lamb, or pork, within 3 to 5 days.
- Perishable food such as meat and poultry should be wrapped securely to maintain quality and to prevent meat juices from getting onto other food.
- To maintain quality when freezing meat and poultry in its original package, wrap the package again with foil or plastic wrap that is recommended for the freezer.
- In general, high-acid canned food such as tomatoes, grapefruit, and pineapple can be stored unopened on the shelf for 12 to 18 months. Low-acid canned food such as meat, poultry, fish, and most vegetables will keep 2 to 5 years-if the unopened can remains in good condition and has been stored in a cool, clean, and dry place. Discard cans that are dented, leaking, bulging, or rusted.