Holiday Ordering Schedule for Closure on Labor Day
The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank will be closed on Monday, September 1, 2025 in observance of Labor Day. Closure dates may affect your agency's ORDERING, PICK UP, and DELIVERY SCHEDULES. Click on the button to review the ordering schedule for the closure date and plan accordingly.
It is our pleasure to announce that the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is the Agency of the Month for August 2025! Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation's exceptional work and dedication to the community do not go unnoticed. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition! We value your partnership and look forward to seeing what incredible milestones you will reach next.
Agency Express Reminder
Confirming Orders
If your agency would like to confirm the order it has placed, please contact a member of the Inventory Control Team before 11:00 a.m. of your ordering time window.
IOC can be reached at 323-234-3030 with the following extensions
125 - Paula Bass
184 - Carina Garcia
117 - Raquel Diaz
118 - Jojo Flores
193 - Sharlyn Tapia
Follow Up is Required If No Confirmation Email is Received
If you do not receive a confirmation email, your order has not been placed successfully. If this is the case, please contact a member of Agency Relations between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. for assistance with processing your order through the system.
Orders not pushed through and a confirmation email sent by noon on the ordering deadline will not be processed. If you need assistance with order processing, please reach out to the following contacts:
Agencies may not add items to their cart outside of their ordering window, as these items will not be held until their designated ordering time window. Logging in the day before does not save products for your agency and will prevent the Agency Express system from processing orders correctly for other agencies.
Best Practices Highlight -
Tips on How to Improve Your Organization’s Record Keeping Practices
Updating records in your organization is important because it ensures the accuracy and reliability of information, which is crucial for decision-making. It helps maintain compliance with regulations, enhances communication among team members and stakeholders, and improves efficiency by allowing employees to access the most up-to-date data. Additionally, updated records can aid in tracking progress, identifying trends, and improving overall organizational performance. Regularly maintaining records also helps safeguard against data loss and ensures that necessary information is readily available when needed.
Here are some tips for best practices to help keep your organization organized and your records current:
Establish Regular Review Schedules with Clear Guidelines:
Establish a routine for reviewing and updating records on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis. Develop and document standard operating procedures for record-keeping, ensuring that all team members understand their responsibilities.
Train Your Team and Get in the Habit of Utilizing Checklists:
Ensure all staff and volunteers are well-trained on the importance of record-keeping and the specific processes your organization uses. Create checklists for record-keeping tasks to ensure no steps are missed during updates.
Categorize Records: Color Coding Labels are Great Too!
Organize documents into categories (e.g., Agreements, Financial, Operational) to make them easier to locate and update. Implement version control by keeping track of document versions to avoid confusion and ensure that the most recent information is always available.
By following these suggested tips, you will establish effective practices that lead to lasting success for both your organization and your personal growth!
Nutrition Services
Ingredient Highlight - Blueberries
Blueberries may be small, but they’re loaded with big benefits—think brain-boosting antioxidants, heart-loving fiber, and a splash of vitamin C. It’s like eating a superhero smoothie in berry form!
Volunteer Services - Need Support for Your Distribution?
The Volunteer Services Team at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank can assist in recruiting individuals to donate their time and support your food distribution efforts.
Each year, the Food Bank engages hundreds of thousands of volunteers who can help with a variety of tasks, including:
Sorting, Packing, Stocking, Unloading, Distributing Food and Other Related Activities.
The Food Bank is currently unable to recruit volunteers for home deliveries or to pick up and deliver food on behalf of agencies. If you would like the Food Bank to assist with your volunteer recruitment, pleasecompletethis online interest form. Once you submit your request, our staff will review it and respond within 72 hours.
Click on the Volunteer Handout for Non-Profit Agencies link for more information on volunteer services and agency partner resources. You may also find information on the Food Bank website at LAFoodBank.org.
A Message to All Participants of the Extra Helpings Program regarding the necessary reporting requirements: please ensure that you familiarize yourself with these guidelines provided to remain compliant and maximize your benefits from the program. Thank you!
MealConnect Reporting Guidelines
Daily Reporting:
Donation receipts should be entered daily to prevent duplicates or multiple entries.
Weekly Reporting:
If donation receipts are entered on a weekly basis, please ensure that each receipt is unique. This practice will aid in auditing and help you avoid missing any donations.
**Cutoff Day: The weekly cutoff day for entries is Sunday**
Understanding Donation Receipts vs. Pantry Reports:
Donation Receipts:
Receipts are used to track the donated items received. The poundage of these items should be recorded in MealConnect (MC).
Pantry Reports: Only Required for Pantries
These reports keep track of the number of people served by the agency each month. Pantry reports are required and due by the 5th business day of the month. If you’re agency also participates in TEFAP, you only need to submit a monthly TEFAP report, you do not need to also complete a pantry report.
We have noticed a growing interest in using Alternate Pickup Forms at TEFAP sites. Please know that you can share this form with those in need among your neighbors. It allows individuals who cannot attend in-person distributions to authorize a trusted person to pick up food on their behalf. This initiative helps us ensure that all community members have access to food, especially during these challenging times. You can find the recently updated version of this form here:
All Food Bank agencies have signed an agreement detailing their responsibilities while participating in Food Bank programs. Below is a summary of the policies that all agency partners must adhere to. Otherwise, your account may be placed on hold until the concern is resolved.
All Agencies Agree:
Certain Products Have Certain Requirements
To adhere to additional donor stipulations as requested.
Do NOT Discriminate
Not to discriminate in the provision of service, against any person because of race, color, citizenship, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, sex, sexual orientation including Gender identity, unfavorable discharge from the military or status as a protected veteran.
Civil Rights Training is mandatory training for all staff of volunteers at TEFAP Sites who interact with participants. The Food Bank Agency Relations Team offers this training monthly.
Do you need a refresher course or have new team members who would benefit from learning about online ordering, agency shopping, monthly reporting, or food distribution policies? Please ask all your staff or long-standing volunteers to attend the next virtual Food Bank 101 training!
Refresher for Online Ordering and Monthly Reporting - Emergency Pantry and TEFAP Pantry Agencies
This refresher training is designed to review the fundamentals of monthly reporting and online ordering. If you need assistance with your reports, you are welcome to join us in this session to ask any questions you may need answered regarding your reports.
Extra Helpings Compliance Huddle (Extra Helpings Program Participants Only)
The EH online meeting is an excellent opportunity for participants to come together and share their thoughts and ideas on various topics. These include best practices, the basics of MealConnect entries, and open discussions about any questions you may have regarding the program. Online meetings will be held on the fourth Friday of each month. We look forward to seeing you!
We’re having a compliance training session for the Neighbor Intake Program. We’ll go over the important rules that need to be followed to keep everything running smoothly. Whether you're new to the program or simply need a quick refresher, this compliance training will provide you with valuable guidance. Online meetings will be held every Tuesday except the third Tuesday of the month.
Diaper Pantry Program Compliance Session (Diaper Participating Agencies Only)
Does your agency participate in the Diaper Program? We are conducting a 30-minute training session every third Thursday of the month. This will enable us to address some frequently asked questions and offer you guidance on how to effectively run a successful diaper giveaway distribution, including monthly reporting.
Neighbors in need often reach out to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank for referrals to pantries near them. The tool we use to assist with these referrals is on the Food Bank website, Pantry Locator.
Please take a moment to visit our Website Pantry Locator, and find your listing on our site by searching with your zip code. If the information you see is correct, no action will be needed. If the entry for your location is incorrect, please contact a team member from Agency Relations to notify them that a change is required. Your agency’s days/hours should match the information that you recently submitted on your agency’s TEFAP Agreement or Pantry Agreement.
Newsletter Contacts
Thank you for receiving and reviewing our monthly Agency Relations Newsletter. If you have anyone on your team that you feel would also benefit from this information, please fill out the following form:
