Community Food Rescue
ChowMatch
Food

Deliver Food

Requirements for All CFR Volunteers

Community Food Rescue depends on volunteers who can transport food from businesses to food assistance organizations. 

Join us if you have a vehicle, a good driving record, and a few extra hours to transport food on a regular, weekly basis, or just for a one-time food run. You choose the food runs that fit your schedule. Follow the easy steps below to get started with our free food matching app, ChowMatch.

  • Click on the ChowMatch button, enter your email and create a password to sign up.
  • Enter Contact Information Including:
    • Mobile phone number and carrier
    • Whether it’s ok to send texts for last minute requests or cancellations
    • Vehicle size (sedan, SUV, truck). Select the largest vehicle available if more than one.
    • Whether you have a valid driver’s license
    • Whether you are Interested in weekly, REGULAR food runs
    • Whether you are interested in ONE TIME food runs
    • The maximum distance in miles that you want to travel between your residence and the donor.
    • Whether you can load a donation from a food business without needing assistance

Tip: Once you have created a profile, download the ChowMatch mobile app for Android or iPhone to sign up for food runs from your smart phone.

ChowMatch

Volunteers play an important role in maintaining the safety of donated food. We ask that all volunteers review safe food handling guidelines and view our save food handling video here.

TIP: The Food Safety Guidelines are also available to download as a PDF.

All volunteers will take a short online quiz as part of the signup process. (You’ll want to read the Food Safety Guidelines and watch the videos first!) The quiz is approximately 20 multiple choice questions. You will receive an email confirming that you’ve passed or if not, you can review and take the quiz again.

Once you complete your profile and pass the safe food handling quiz, your account will be activated. You will receive a CFR cap and car magnet in the mail. Please display these for identification on each food run.

When a business posts a food donation, it is automatically matched with a food assistance organization. All volunteer food runners within their selected distance and appropriate vehicle size will receive email and/or text requests for transportation. The first volunteer to accept the food run will get it. Once a volunteer food runner accepts the run, the run is scheduled and all parties are notified with details and contact information.

Complete your food run with your mobile app or web app. Login to ChowMatch>Volunteer>My Active/Past Food Runs> choose the run you just completed and click on Complete status. Fill in the ratings, pick-up and drop off, and Run Status. Click Submit.  Use Edit Weight button, if applicable,  to update any changes in food categories and weight from the initial posting.

Be Safe
Food Safety Tips
for Food Runners

Read our County-approved Food Safety Guidelines for handling and transporting recovered food, and download helpful forms and check-lists. Learn how the Good Samaritan Act protects food recovery donors from liability.

Learn More

deliver-5-food safety tips for food runners-food in car

Frequently Asked Questions

We welcome individuals, families, and groups to volunteer as food runners if the driver is 18+ years, has a good driving record and auto insurance, a clean vehicle, and a few extra hours. Volunteers choose regular weekly food runs or one-time or occasional food runs to fit your schedule. You choose the distance in miles between your residence and food donors within Montgomery County in which you’d like to pick up food.

Food Safety is critical for the well-being of all food recipients. We ask that all volunteers review safe food handling guidelines and view the food runner training video as part of signing up – you can do both here. After reviewing, you will take a short multiple-choice quiz during the sign-up process. Once you successfully complete the quiz, CFR will activate your account and you will begin receiving food run requests. If you don’t pass the quiz the first time around, you can review the information and take it again.

When a business posts a donation, it is automatically matched to one of the CFR network food assistance organizations. Then all volunteers with appropriately-sized vehicles and within the distance specified to donors will receive an email request with the details including timeframe, location and any special instructions. The first volunteer to accept the food run will get it. As soon as a volunteer food runner accepts the run and all parties are notified with details and contact information.

TIP: Check for all available food runs in your web account or with your mobile app, in Your account>Volunteer>Available Runs.

All active volunteers will receive a CFR cap and car magnet in the mail. Please wear your CFR hat and place the magnet on your car during food runs. Have the donor, recipient, and yourself sign the form and leave it with the recipient for their files to satisfy health regulations.

Download a list of items to take on food runs. Contact the CFR administrator to borrow thermometers, thermal blankets and produce crates for those who have regular weekly food runs.

Complete your food run with your mobile app or web app. Login to ChowMatch>Volunteer>My Active/Past Food Runs> choose the run you just completed and click on Complete status. Fill in the ratings, pick-up and drop off, and Run Status. Click Submit.  Use Edit Weight button, if applicable,  to update any changes in food categories and weight from the initial posting.

deliver- 9-thank you-men loading car

Thank you!

We celebrate food donors and recipient organizations working together. Your business will be listed on the CFR website, in blog posts, E-newsletters and social media. 

Be Part of The Solution!

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