How do food banks work?

Food banks are locations which deliver food and sometimes other essentials from a central which collects them itself from various locations. They freeze perishable items they collected for weeks or even months until needed in the local food banks, storing closed cans and similar stuff, which doesn't needs cooling in a large warehouse. A lot of personal is needed for both the food brank central and the single locations, which can be 20 or more in a large city with a large population, and they are non-profit organsizations, the large staff needs to work free of charge. Especially in the COVID-19 pandemic many more people were needed. But they benefit from free daily meals in their working hours.

Who is eligible to use food banks?

There are no general rules. Every food bank make their own rules, and sometimes there are no rules, so everyone is served. May be Donald Trump shows up at some point. But usually their target audience are people with low income or o regular income, like the homeless. In a summary I also read single moms are welcome. But I also saw people with luxury cars pulling up, wearing golden wrist watches. They seem to just be greedy, and if the food bank is low on food, like I noticed at the beginning of the 2020 pandemic, people really in need to get enough or anything at all.

Where is the food coming from?

The locations are often grocery stores, restaurants (even McDonald's or Burger King) or food factories. The food bank central is collecting from these. They give away food close to their best before or expiring dates. Sometimes it's surplus they might otherwise discard. Once I received two litres of mayonnaise, about 100 wieners in bulk (just i a plastic bag) or 100 chicken wings. There are also slightly damaged cans without being broken (content is still good). Some have dents, others have no labels at all ("can surprise"; you cannot know what's inside until opened) or the label isn't attached properly. Some are just dirty outside. Since a grocery store cannot put them into their shelves they'd be discarded. But the food bank central gladly collects them. This helps to feed people in need and the environment not ending up in landfills.

Ignore best before dates

Since grocery stores give away many items which are so close to their best before or expiry dates, the food bank central and later the single food banks freeze them. That stops the aging process. It's like when you bought bread which is good until the 15th of the month but you freeze it because you have no immediate use, after thawing at say the 20th it will still be edible. Same for any food from the food bank. Because you cannot know when the food was frozen you have to ignore their shelf-life dates. Only way to find out is to look at them or taste them to decide to consume or throw it out.

What sort of food can one expect?

One can expect literally everything. Besides cans or packs of noodles, rice, sauces, spices and meat they often also offer produce. You can often expect apples, oranges, grapes, bananas and other fruits, as well as vegetables like beans, paprika, tomatoes, corn, gherkins, pickles, as well as some I couldn't identify. There are often sweet things like cookies, chocolate, nutrition bars, cereals, treats for children and candy. Then there are "ready to eat" packages you just throw into the microwave. Other things you need to cook, bake or fry, while again others you can eat cold. For drinks they often have soda, juices milk and other dairy products like yogourt. If lucky you get a ton of coffee. Usually bags in bulk or even K-Cups and others designed for these "new" coffee makers. Don't have one of these so I force them open and use it for an old fashion dripping coffee maker.

What you can not is to choose like in a supermarket. You get what they offer, or reject it. For every customers they spread something out on a table you can pack up - or not. Then there's often a closed bag waiting for you, which seems to have some cooled content. That's usually meat, fruits and vegetables. If you want certain items you can ask that if lucky they have them. If not you need to visit a normal supermarket.

What kinds of food banks are there?

In my city I experienced four types of food banks. Although they all get their food from the single central food bank they all operate differently, although you get about the same items (see above). Here are the four types I encountered:

1. You need to show a proof of income or some other ID, but all items are free of charge
2. They want to have a proof you live in their suburb, like something with your address on it, and everything is free
3. That worked with (and in!) a church. They ask for $4. But then you have to sit down and a guy (possibly priest) is going to tell you if social equity and Jesus. Probably most annoying if you are not religious to sit in a room with no air condition (of course, it's a church) with 20 others before they hand out the food
4. My favorite bank charges $7 per visit and hands out the food with no other strings attached

Conclusion: If you don't have enough money to do your own groceries food banks help you. They're non profit organizations, and those asking for a donation most likely do it to cover costs for rent (heat and stuff) and to pay their voluntary staff. This for example if you go four times a month and pay $7 every time you end up spending $28 a month. Not bad compared to an ordinary visit at a grocery store. The main disadvantages are you cannot choose what you'll get, and that they are often sparsely dispersed over a town or city. And if really unlucky and dudes with a Cadillacs did their shopping before you you might get less than you normally give out. Still that's bad than going hungry.