Generally, baked goods that do not require refrigeration are deemed safe for donation to neighborhood food banks. Bread and cookies are extremely low-risk for foodborne pathogens.
The actual guidelines for donation can vary from state to state and food bank to food bank.
To ensure safe donation practices, all CL bakers must attend a volunteer information session, which educates and standardizes all donations made through our organization. As part of creating their volunteer profile and before participating, they must review and sign our Safety Best Practices and Program Requirements. Bakers must review and re-sign this agreement each year to continue participation.
Some states have easily identified requirements or permissions regarding these from home donations, in other cases, the local food bank dictates the requirements. Below are some of the state-identified permissions regarding bread donations from home bakers:
If you have questions regarding our donations and their safety, please contact us at info@communityloaves.org.