Area Food Shelf New Intake Policy Affects Volunteers, Clients

The process for receiving necessities from one area food shelf will be a little bit easier this year. The Hubbard County Food Shelf has updated its intake process by eliminating a time consuming step for those receiving their services.

The Hubbard County Food Shelf will now provide on site intake under regulations by the US Department of Agriculture.

According to the 2014 Emergency Food Assistance Program policy manual, distribution sites must maintain an intake process for walk-ins. It also does not allow the food shelves to discuss private information with other providers, which the clients used to do before their first visit.

Last year the food shelf served about 350 households each month. For a smaller location with at times just two volunteers on duty, the change may negatively affect the volunteers at first.

So far, eight people have been trained on the new process. Bob Hansen, director of the food shelf, says that the rest of the volunteers will eventually learn it as well.

Hansen says he’s optimistic that this will positively impact the clients.

The food shelf is looking for additional volunteers to help especially with the new intake process. In addition, the food shelf says donating money rather than food items directly is the best way to help financially. If interested in volunteering or donating, those interested can contact the shelf at (218) 732-1282. More information can be found here.