Partner Collaborations With
Houston Food Bank

Are you a 501(c)(3) or faith-based organization ready for a permanent partnership with Houston Food Bank?

The intention of the Partner Services Department is to establish strategic, long-term, consistent, and highly active partnerships with 501(c)(3) public charity and faith-based organizations in order to address the needs of food insecure persons within our service area.

Do you identify as a pantry, mobile-only, or meal site?

What type of food distribution program are you planning to operate or currently operate?

Community Food Distribution Programs* supported by Houston Food Bank:

• Pantries – Brick and Mortar Location
• Mobile-Only Sites – No Storage Capacity; Distribute out of HFB’s “Food Pantry on Wheels”
• Meal Sites (Soup Kitchens, Shelters, etc) – Prepare Meals on Site with No Charge

*With some limited exceptions, partner distributions should be open to the public. Please review our HFB Partnerships Overview document for further details.

Additional partnerships/programs supported by HFB:

• Food For Change (FFC)
  • Visit our Food for Change page for additional details or contact the Food for Change department for more information
  • FFC Market Application
• Child Programs
  • Backpack Buddy
  • School Market
  • Kids Cafe
• Senior Programs
  • Senior Box / CSFP
• Community Assistance Program (CAP)

Do you have an approved location?

TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF AN APPROVED LOCATION: 

• The location is not a strip mall shopping center or business areas, or an unpaved parking lot. Apartment complexes are not conducive to large-scale, public distributions and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• The location has adequate entry/exit and space for Houston Food Bank delivery trucks and/or client parking and distribution.
• The parking surface must be paved and conducive to our heavy trucks and equipment.
• For Pantries: The site should be able to support HFB pallet jacks entering and maneuvering around the building.
• For Mobiles: The site must be at least 55 ft. long by 50 ft. wide. The entrance needs to be at least 10 ft. wide, with a minimum of 5 additional ft. on one side that is free of obstructions (fences, fire hydrants, trees, signs, telephone/light poles, parked cars, etc.). There should be no parked cars within 10 ft. of the entrance.

Are you located in the following zip code/neighborhood?

We are currently prioritizing prospective partners in the following zip codes/neighborhoods* based on strategic analysis of where HFB is not currently and adequately meeting the need of food insecure persons in its service area:

*NOTE: We are currently defining general areas. Zip Codes and Neighborhoods will not match up 1:1. These zip codes are subject to change based on our continuous analysis of food insecurity within our service area.

Do you meet the minimum partnership requirements?

PANTRIES

• IRS determination letter stating 501c3 status and/or completion of 14-pt criteria by religious organizations without their own tax-exempt EIN
• Able to host distributions a minimum of 4 times per month
• Able to provide extended hours a minimum of 1 time per month. Extended hours can be defined as any time after 5pm Mon-Fri or anytime Saturday or Sunday.
• Food Dealer/Food Establishment Permit (non-profit) issued by local county/city health department as required.
  • Examples: Harris County Public Health Food Permits | Houston Permitting Center
• Meet the location requirements above
• Food Handler Certificate (Learn about training option provided)
• Regular Pest Control
• Abide by Food Storage Handling and Safety Practices that are in conformance with local, state, and federal regulations
• Civil Rights Training will be required once approved for partnership
• Client intake using a web-based platform must be completed during all distributions
• Pantry partners must offer extended distribution hours at a minimum of once a month which can be evening and/or Saturday distributions.

MOBILE-ONLY SITES

• Please note that due to our growing network of partners, Mobile slots are currently unavailable until further notice.
• IRS determination letter stating 501c3 status and/or completion of 14-pt criteria by religious organizations without their own tax-exempt EIN
• Able to host mobile distributions a minimum of 4 times per month
• Meet the location requirements above
• Food Handler Certificate (Learn about training option)
• Civil Rights Training will be required once approved for partnership
• Client intake using a web-based platform must be completed during all distributions

MEAL SITES (Soup Kitchen, Shelters, etc)

• IRS determination letter stating 501c3 status and/or completion of 14-pt criteria by religious organizations without their own tax-exempt EIN
• Food Dealer/Food Establishment Permit (non-profit) issued by local county/city health department as required.
  • Examples: Harris County Public Health Food Permits | Houston Permitting Center
• Certificate of Occupancy and Operation License
• Food Manager’s Certificate is REQUIRED for all meal sites (Learn about training option)
• Regular Pest Control
• Abide by Food Storage Handling and Safety Practices that are in conformance with local, state, and federal regulations
• Civil Rights Training will be required once approved for partnership
• Client intake using a web-based platform must be completed during all distributions

Know your Civil Rights. Click the link to read details and find out how to file a complaint.

Partnering with the Houston Food Bank: Pre-Screening Application

Thank you for your interest in partnering with the Houston Food Bank!

This pre-screening application helps us assess whether your organization is a good fit for partnership based on program eligibility and community needs.

The information you provide will help us determine if we can support your efforts and if your organization aligns with our mission and available resources. Please note that submitting this application does not guarantee approval. We evaluate partnerships based on several factors, including location, service area needs, the presence of an established food program, and operational hours.

Important:

• Our mobile program is currently at full capacity. Organizations requesting mobile services in areas with service gaps will be waitlisted until space becomes available.
• After reviewing your application, we will notify you whether your organization is eligible to proceed with a full partnership application.
• We look forward to learning more about your organization and how we can work together to fight hunger in our community.

Start Your Pre-Screening Application: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RRF2H6P