The Houston Food Banks Food Fair Program

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• The Houston Food Banks Food Fair Program
• Houston Food Bank
• Agency Conference
• May 30, 2008

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What is the Food Fair program?

• Families select from an abundance of
• fresh produce and other foods in
• a farmers market setting
• at agency sites.

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Who Qualifies?

• The food fair is open to the community, and
• individuals or families that attend must be
• serviced.
• Although there are no guidelines as to how
• clients must receive their food, the Houston Food
• Bank encourages sites to allow clients to
• select their own food (client choice).

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How is this beneficial to an agency?

• Food Fairs are a vehicle to offer programs and
  services (food stamps, nutrition education,
  medical screenings, etc.) to low-income
  individuals and families. Food becomes part of
  the services offered not the main attraction
  or the event itself.

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How is this beneficial to an agency?

• Food is free but there are delivery fees
• 50 for 5 pallets
• 100 for 10 pallets
• 150 for 15 pallets
• 200 for 20 pallets

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How is this beneficial to an agency?

• Gives agencies that dont have enough pantry or
  refrigerated/frozen space an opportunity to
  receive and distribute a better
• variety of food to clients.

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Food Fair Logic Model
Inputs
Outcomes
Outputs
The Situation
Assumptions
External Factors
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• How do I run a Food Fair?

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You need

• 1. Volunteers 10-15 volunteers recommended.
• Tasks include but not limited to
• Breaking up food received
• Setting up tables
• Distributing food to clients
• Signing up clients (intake form)
• Distributing tickets to clients
• Overall supervision
• Assisting in educational component
• Clean Up

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You need

• Food 5-20 pallets depending on of people
  served (1,250 lbs of food/pallet, about 41
  people/pallet)
• Recruit community partners

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You need

• 4. Duration 2-3 hours
• 5. Money for delivery fees, supplies or
• equipment needed
• 6. Advertise program in the community

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You need

• 7. Prepare for unforeseen weather conditions or
  others that may affect the quality of the food
  being distributed (i.e. extreme heat or rain may
  spoil the food if duration of fair is too long)
  or the clients.

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You need

• Intake or screening form that includes name of
  client, of people served, age, ethnicity, and
  type of educational component or medical
  screening offered.
• 9. Provide education and outreach services
  programs to the community.

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You need

• 10. Submit the Food Fair Report to
• Agency Services by the 5th of every
• month.
• 11. Provide adequate parking, indoor
• back up space for bad weather (or an
• alternative) and access for truck if
• Houston Food Bank makes the
• delivery.

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You need

• 12. Provide disposal of large amounts of
• trash (pallets, boxes, wrap, etc.)
• 13. No practice of any form of religious
• proselytizing, nor charge fees to
• clients for food.

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You need

• 14. No delivery of food to any alternate site
  without prior approval from the Houston Food
  Bank.
• 15. Give 24 hour notice to the Houston Food Bank
  if agency is canceling the Food Fair. If notice
  is not given, a 65.00 restocking fee will be
  charged.

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• Community Partners

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Community Partners

• Houston Food Bank (nutrition education,
• social services outreach, cooking demos)
• Baylor mobile clinic
• Local medical clinics
• Universities
• Local banks
• Child Protective Services

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Community Partners

• American Heart Association
• American Cancer Association
• Police Department
• Fire Department
• Housing Authority
• Rotary Clubs
• Churches

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Community Partners

• WIC
• Health Department/HHSC
• Cooperative Extension Offices
• Christus Healthy Living Mobile Unit

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• How to start a Food Fair Program at your site?

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• Contact Yulonda Williams, 713-547-8668, request
  to be added to the Food Fair program.
• Determine frequency of the Food Fair Program at
  your site.
• Advertise the program in the community.

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• Identify community partners.
• Recruit/train staff and volunteers to help with
  food distribution on Food Fair day.
• Distribute food, track attendance, and report
  back to the Houston Food Bank.

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• Best Practices
• Jesse Trees
• Food Fair Program