Q:  How many shopping appointments can I make in one week?

 

A:  All partners have access to two shopping appointments per week.  If you have an appointment to pick up an online order and decide to also shop, that is considered, altogether, one shopping appointment.

 

Q:  If I have an afternoon shopping appointment is there any guarantee that I will have access to the "high-demand" items before you run out?

 

A:  While we make every effort to be fair and equitable, our goal is to move product quickly and efficiently into the community.  We do our best to limit quantities available during each shopping appointment to provide a fair opportunity to all partners, but cannot guarantee "high access" items will be available during any particular shift.

 

Q:  How can I ensure that I have access to "high-demand" items?

 

A:  Our partners are notified via email when large quantities of our products have been received. Be sure to provide an accurate email for up-to-date notifications!

 

Q:  If I have an online appointment, but don’t see any needed product on the floor, does this count as a shopping appointment?

 

A:  Online orders include an optional 30-minute shopping appointment, however, if you choose not to shop, this will not be counted as a shopping appointment and you are more than welcome to sit in the waiting area while our team completes the palletization of your order.

 

Q:  Is 30 minutes enough time to shop?

 

A:  Each shopping appointment is limited to only 5 partners at a time, giving you ease of access to items without feeling rushed! You’ll find that 30 minutes is plenty of time as the staff is available to assist you and make your shopping experience as pleasant as possible. If time is still a concern, we urge you to place your order online to ensure the items needed are put aside for you. You can then use your complimentary 30-minute shopping appointment to browse the area for additional items needed. 

 

Q:  What if we make a shopping appointment but end up not buying anything, does that count as 1 of my 2?

 

A:  Yes. As we work hard to ensure that everyone has fair access to shopping appointments, when shopping appointments are filled, whether anything is purchased or not, other partners do not have access to the shopping area.

 

Q:  Will we be allowed to change the time of our online appointment?

 

A:  Changing of online appointment times will be considered a cancellation.  Inventory from your online order may be restocked and available to other partners if we determine limited shelf life and/or need for space.

 

Q:  With the COD policy that is taking effect June 1st, can I just prepay my account?

 

A:  Yes, prepayments are allowed, however, having a balance due on the account is not. We urge partners who "pre-pay" their account to monitor and budget closely!

 

Q:  How do I schedule a shopping appointment?

 

A:  You may visit our online appointment page here.

 

Q:  How do I change or cancel a shopping appointment?

 

A:  We require at least 24 hours of advance notice to change a shopping appointment.  You may call the food bank at (951) 359-4757 to change or cancel an appointment.
 

Q:  How do I know if food items passed their expiration date are safe to distribute to the public?

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A:  Here's a list of categories used to determine if the shelf-stable food items are safe to consume in the near future:

Shelf Life of Food Bank Products.