New Matching Feature in ChowMatch for Food Assistance Providers

Attention all Food Assistance Providers! Do you have fluctuating distribution dates and times? Are there capacity limits that prevent you from repackaging bulk food? Look no further. New features in the ChowMatch software application allow for more precise information to be added to your recipient profile.

As we continue to expand our Community Food Rescue (CFR) network, it is important to keep track of when food distributions occur, what storage capacity recipient organizations have, and how far in advance recipient organizations can receive food. With thousands of pounds of food moving throughout the network each week, we want to make sure no food goes to waste, and that means making sure we do not send food to organizations when they cannot adequately store and distribute those products before they lose freshness.

Brand new in ChowMatch, recipients can now add even more detailed information to their account profile about their distribution patterns. When inside your profile, scroll down to the bottom of the page and select “additional options.” There are three fields recipients can now fill out in their profiles. 1) If you have food distribution other than weekly, please indicate days and times here: 2) How far in advance can you receive food? 3) Are you able to repackage bulk foods?

New fields in ChowMatch allow food assistance providers to add specific information about their food distribution days and capacity to provide a better match with their needs.

It is incredibly important for all CFR network Food Assistance Providers to fill out this information in their profiles so that the CFR and Farm to Food Bank team can direct food to appropriate recipient organizations. If you have any questions or concerns about these new features, please reach out to annarose@mannafood.org or tricia@mannafood.org.